Hostile Encounters
by Zephyros-Phoenix
Summary: COMPLETE - Sequel to Whitewash, Shadowxoc. Azure has been part of Team Dark for one month, but Rouge's return prompts her to rethink her place on the team. Things only get worse when Azure's evil brother, Garnett the Phoenix, finally closes in on her. What is Garnett planning and will Azure be able to stop him while keeping those she holds dear safe?
1. Only Temporary

**So apparently I was in a much stronger writing mood than I thought. I was so determined to improve the initial preview I uploaded to the point where I even finished the whole chapter! I guess I just got really excited. Plus I'm still on a time crunch. I'm aiming to finish this fic and it's sequel by this time next year.**

**But I digress, here at last is the first chapter of Hostile Encounters, sequel to Whitewash. While it's not required, I do recommend reading Whitewash before reading this unless you've done so already.**

**Before I continue, I warn you that I might be portraying Rouge a bit more bitchier than she's actually portrayed. It's very likely my hatred for the character is affecting my ability to portray her properly. But I've read some of the comics scenes with her and I really think this is how Rouge would behave.**

**Any spelling and grammar errors are my fault as a writer and I would be grateful if you pointed any out so I could fix them.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog, only any OCs of my creation and original plot lines.**

* * *

**Normal POV**

"Shadow, on your six!"

Shadow swiftly turned around and thrust a Chaos Spear into the chest of one of Eggman's robots that was coming up behind him. Shadow gave Azure a curt nod in thanks for her warning. Nearly a month had passed since Azure took her place alongside Shadow and Omega as a member of Team Dark. Technically, she was a substitute member for Rouge the Bat, but that didn't seem to matter to any of them. Shadow had seen her potential during the mission against Mephiles and decided to give her a chance at joining Team Dark. And so far, he hadn't regretted his decision. Azure was skilled already and her knowledge and abilities have only grown during her time as a part of the team. Shadow trusted her with his six and she hasn't let him down.

Azure, meanwhile, couldn't be happier. She was part of the team with her greatest idol and inspiration. She had only joined G.U.N. several months ago and was still classed as a rookie agent. But in such a short time, she had fought to earn her spot on one of G.U.N.'s top teams. She was standing alongside her two idols, one of which she bore very strong feelings for, and for good reason. Shadow came from a past like her own, in which her kind was seen as powerful and therefore dangerous and evil. But he kept fighting, using his powers for good. He was brave, strong and always persevered, traits that she admired so it was no surprise that she immediately leapt at the offer to work alongside him.

True to Tower's word, her training only intensified and the missions were far more dangerous. She had even improved in her ability to handle her lightning. She could handle a larger amount than when she first joined G.U.N. and was starting to exhibit some control over the weather. Many times she felt like this would be it, her final moments, but Shadow and Omega were there to help her out. But it wasn't like she was useless and they were always bailing her out of trouble. Azure was determined and always persevered and made sure to contribute to the team rather than hinder it. She depended on them and she wanted to make sure that they could also depend on her.

With their robot attackers defeated, all three returned to G.U.N. HQ, their mission completed. "Mission status?" asked a G.U.N. agent as Team Dark entered the hangar bay.

"Hostile targets neutralized," replied Shadow.

"Excellent work, Team Dark. Take a break, you've earned a rest. Commander Towers will inform you of your next mission," the agent said, leaving as he typed into a digital data pad.

"Glad that's over. It almost felt like those robots were never ending! So, what should we do for a break? Catch a movie with Hope?" asked Azure.

"I must go to the weapons lab and restock my ammunition," said Omega. Shadow simply said nothing and made his way to the training center, likely to spar.

"Of course," Azure sighed to herself with a light chuckle. In her month of joining Team Dark, she had gotten to know Shadow and Omega a bit more than when she first met them and their responses – or rather, Shadow's lack of a response – came as no surprise to her.

She smiled to herself as she made her way through the halls towards the main entrance of the HQ. Since she joined Team Dark, she had been exceptionally busy and rarely had time to visit her uncle. Several months ago, she did not even know her uncle, let alone that she had one. But according to her mother's old journal, he was her father, Hydra's younger brother who had been banished from their home long before she and her siblings were born.

After leaving her home, she had nowhere to go and no one to rely on. She was on her own, but Azreal changed that. All her life she had lived underground and the expansive world above opened her eyes. She could hardly believe that all of this existed right above her! But she was on the run and for good reason. If Garnett was to pursue her – and she knew he would – she would need help.

But who would she trust?

Growing up she was taught to be wary of the surface dwellers, for it was they who cast her people underground and committed the horrid act of genocide against them. All because of something they were born with. But luck was in her favor. There was one person, not just Mythsetian, but family on the surface: An uncle, Azreal.

He was someone she could trust.

It did not take her long to find him, since her mother had even provided his location and a map – though crudely drawn – to his hut in Mystic Ruins. At first, he would not even open the door or acknowledge her presence, but as soon as she said her name, he opened the door and the look her gave her told her that he instantly knew she was family.

"She said she was going to name her next daughter Azure," he told her before warmly welcoming her into his home. His hut was small and completely wooden, but cute and rather peaceful. It sat near a stream of water, so they were always treated to the serene tune of the flowing stream. He offered her a seat and prepared his favorite tea, oolong tea, for them to share.

It was then that she met June, Azreal's little Chao companion. Azure had heard of the Chao before, but had never actually seen one in person. And June was simply adorable. True to what she heard about the Chao, June exhibited many of Azreal's physical features red scales, horns, claws and wings.

But once pleasantries were aside, Azure explained her reason for coming and Azreal was quick to understand and empathize. She did not expect him to do so let alone take her arrival as well as he did. But as she thought about it more, it made sense. She was the first of his family that he had seen in nearly twenty years, not including her mother of course. If she were in his shoes and someone of her blood came knocking on her door, she would not hesitate to welcome them.

In the days that passed since her arrival, they had bonded in a way that Azure never thought she would bond with someone. The words of encouragement he would give her made her heart feel so heavy with joy. Azreal was like the father she never knew. He set up a bed in his spare room and welcomed her to stay with him, which she gladly accepted.

Azure was eager to ask why he had been banished and where he got the vicious scar on his chest and the left side of his face, but she decided to put this off until later. It was not her place to bring up a topic that would likely bring him pain. And she was glad she had refrained from bringing it up when Azreal promised to protect her should Garnett find her. She wasn't sure if Azreal would refuse to help her if she pestered him about a sensitive subject, but given her situation, she did not want to take the risk.

Things were going well. She was with family she knew would protect and help her. However, disaster struck when her lightning manifested in a dangerous amount and she ended up blowing off one of the walls of his hut. Though she helped to repair the damage, Azreal saw what she and many others back home had seen.

She was too powerful. And Anubis' inhibitors were no longer strong enough to suppress her powers. For two weeks, Azreal helped Azure to train, in hopes of gaining better controlling her powers. Despite Azreal's help, nothing seemed to work and her control was only weakening.

It was then when Azreal first brought up G.U.N. and to her understanding it was a military faction. Her people had nothing like this so the idea of a military was new to her. Regardless, Azreal suggested she go to them since they would have both the technology to provide her with better inhibitors as well as opportunities to do some good with her powers. Azure did not even wait another second before racing off to apply as an agent.

And look how far she had come now.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here." Azure was suddenly brought out of her daydream by a deep and sultry feminine voice. She turned her gaze over to the adjacent hallway and saw a white bat in a black cat suit, white gloves and boots with pink hearts on the toes of her boots and chest. "So, you're the little rookie that's taking over for me."

"Um, yes," she squeaked. Azure suddenly felt all the bravery and confidence she had built up over the last month leave her body. She instinctively backed into the wall until she felt the cool metal touch her wings and tail as the bat advanced on her. She had faced killer robots, fire monsters and even faced a vicious god. But what was it about this one bat that made her feel so weak and insignificant.

"You're not at all what I'd thought you'd be. So bony and small. You must know who I am, right?" the bat asked with a smirk.

"Yes. Rouge… Rouge the Bat," Azure answered meekly.

"Oh, very good. You know, I went on that undercover mission months ago thinking that I was going to have my toughest mission yet. Sure enough I did, but what do I find when I get back? Some little kid weasels their way into my team and takes my spot. Now, imagine how I must feel when I find out about this."

"Angry, I guess."

"Obviously the Commander sees something in you if he puts you on Team Dark. Since you're still new here, I'll make things clear: you're just a rookie. Don't let it get into your head that you're suddenly something special just because Towers asked you to fill in for me. I worked hard for my spot on that team – in fact, I'm the one who formed it – and if you think I'm going to let some little rookie come out from under my nose while I'm away and steal it then you're wrong. This is my house and my team."

"That doesn't mean it can't be mine too! I worked hard to get where I am. I've earned it!" Azure shouted back, as she fought back the tears that Rouge's sharp words were causing.

"What you have to realize is that it's my spot on Team Dark. You were just keeping it warm for me. It was only temporary," Rouge said, bringing her face closer to Azure's and lowering her gaze into a vicious glare.

Azure could feel her heart beating faster as Rouge's words pierced her skin, making her feel like she had just been stabbed by hundreds of daggers. A spark of lightning burst out of the tip of her tail, causing Rouge to jump back and raise her arms in defense. Azure looked at Rouge in shock, not expecting her lightning to react like that. She quickly took off in a run, putting as much distance between her and Rouge as possible.

"I hear you have a crush on Shadow!" Rouge shouted, bringing Azure to a halt. "It's really cute, you know, seeing how much you fawn over him, the way you stare at him with those big green eyes of yours when you think no one is looking. But why would he ever go for a child like you, when he could have a woman like me? Face it, kid. Shadow will never love you," Rouge remarked with a low chuckle.

Azure tightly clenched her fist, fighting the urge to release the tears that threatened to escape from her eyes. She wouldn't face Rouge now, wouldn't give Rouge the satisfaction that her simple, but cruel words could entice this reaction from her. "He doesn't have to," she muttered quickly before she took off in a run before lifting herself into the air and dashing out of the HQ, racing to the one person she knew would make her feel better.

It took her only minutes to get to the familiar small hut deep in the Mystic Woods. If not for her wings, it would have taken her nearly an hour to get there on foot, but luckily for her, being able to fly on her own greatly cut down the traveling time. The tears she held in broke free as she flew, but she quickly wiped them away before she burst into the hut.

"Azure, what's wrong?" cried Azreal, alarmed by her sudden entrance.

"I-it's Rouge the Bat, the agent I was standing in for on Team Dark? Sh-she came back and the things she said to me, really mean things…" Azure sniffed. She sat down on the couch as Azreal placed a cup of oolong tea in front of her. She cupped her hands around it as the warmth enveloped her hands.

"And what exactly did she say?"

"She mocked me and made fun of my crush on Shadow. She just made me feel so… so…" Azure said, unable to find the words she needed.

"You need not concern yourself with what she thinks of you. You have worked hard to get where you are. You've earned your place. She cannot deny that fact," said Azreal, gently rubbing her back.

"But it was her place to begin with! I was just 'keeping it warm'," Azure said with air quotes.

"Temporary or not, Shadow chose you to stand in and take her place. He could have chosen any other agent, but instead he chose you. That must say something about what he thinks of your skill and potential. And if this Rouge is a supposed super spy and incredibly skilled and Shadow chose you to fill in for someone of her skill, that must say something about your skill, shouldn't it?"

Azure sniffed and rubbed her eyes. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I never thought of it that way. I may not be part of Team Dark anymore, but I'm still a G.U.N. agent!"

"Exactly! Sometimes life pushes us down and tries to break us, and it's up to us to pick ourselves up and fight back. From what you've told me about her, I don't condone or support how she would handle a situation and I would much rather be on a team with you that her," Azreal said with a warm smile.

"You're just saying that," Azure said with a chuckle, lightly nudging Azreal in a playful manner. "Thanks, uncle Azreal." Azure set the cup down and gave Azreal a tight hug around his waist, which he gladly returned. "I should probably head back to HQ and figure out where I'm going to be assigned now that Rouge is back."

"Very good. Don't let this Rouge get to you. She sounds like a, oh what is it I hear these surface dwellers saying? A stick in the mud! Yes, that's it!" he exclaimed as they made their way to the door.

"Thanks again uncle Azreal. You always know just what to say. How about I come over tomorrow and we can head into Station Square for lunch? My treat!" she exclaimed with a wide smile.

"I look forward to it," Azreal said as Azure took to the sky back to G.U.N. HQ.

Just as Azreal shut the door behind him, three figures came out from the trees that surrounded the clearing of Azreal's house. Of the three, the one in the middle – the leader – stepped out into the clearing. He was avian, with bright orange feathers tipped a light blue and gold tail feathers. His large beak had two triangles on either side, he wore gloves with a green stripe on them and his clawed feet were wrapped in brown and green shoes.

"Ah, it feels so good to be with family, don't you think, brothers?" the bird asked in a malicious and sadistic tone.

"Shouldn't we go after her, Garnett?" asked the largest of the three. He was covered head to toe in light blue fur with black shoes, white gloves and black and green goggles on his head.

"Not yet, Pine. You heard her: she'll be back here tomorrow. I won't have us charging into a fully armed military base when we can just have Azure come straight to us," said Garnett.

"But what about the other guy? Isn't he our-" started Pine.

"He does match mother and father's descriptions. What do you think, Ghost?" Garnett asked, addressing the rainbow scaled serpent to his right. Ghost nodded quietly in agreement. "Yes, it appears our dear uncle has entered the fray. And here I thought he died long ago after father banished the idiotic fool. Clearly these surface dwellers are far weaker than I assumed. How they managed to cut down our numbers in the Purge, I will never understand. I will enjoy putting these ants in their place. We are gods and they are mere mortals," he said with a growl, clenching his fingers together tightly into a fist.

"So what do we do now?" asked Pine, scratching his head.

"Simple, brother. We wait. When Azure comes tomorrow, that is when we strike," Garnett said with a dark grin. "Time to come home, little sister. You should have known your escape was only temporary."

* * *

**For newcomers to my content/people who haven't been following me on dA or visited my wiki, here's what you need to know about these new characters:**

**-Azreal the Dragon: Azure's uncle (younger brother to her father)  
-June the Chao: Azreal's Chao friend  
-Garnett the Phoenix: Azure's eldest brother  
-Ghost the Ghost Serpent: Azure's fifth eldest brother  
-Pine the Yeti: Azure's sixth eldest brother**

**And yes, despite the fact that none of Azure's siblings are even the same animal as her, they are fully related. The theme of her family is mythological creatures after all.**

**Please do review and tell me what you think of this first chapter. I'm very excited to finally start a story of an original plot since most of my fics are insertion rewrites of canon story lines. Not only that, but I get to bring in all the other characters I've made up and this fic is just going to be loads of fun. Being able to write about all my other characters, put myself into that character's position as I write the dialogue. OH! This is going to be awesome!**

**Next Chapter - MIA: Azure has gone missing and Shadow sets forth to investigate the disappearance of his friend.**

**~ZP**


	2. MIA

**I was worried I wouldn't get the time to work on this with school starting this month and all. And what can I say other than that there is a lot of reading. So much reading... xSakuraBlossom you know what I'm talking about LOL And muahaha I made you break your I-never-get-into-something-until-it's-completely-finished rule :3**

**Anyway, glad to see some familiar faces of readers of Whitewash. It pleases me to know you guys liked the first story enough to continue reading ^^ ****I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. In fact, I feel like I'm going to say that for every chapter LOL I'm so shameless. Enjoy reading!**

**I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog, only Azure and other mentioned OCs.**

* * *

**Normal POV**

"I apologize if Rouge's return took you by surprise. I gave her a week off and I hadn't expected her to return to the team so promptly after coming back from such a big mission," explained Towers.

"I-it's all right. Since Rouge is back with Team Dark now, where does that leave me?" asked Azure, trying to hide the insecurity she truly felt that came with Rouge's return. Although Azreal's comforting words helped to boost her confidence, Azure did well to avoid Rouge at all costs when she returned to the base.

"As it stands, I'm not quite sure where to put you. We're so busy dealing with the Eggman Empire lately that I've had little time to focus on something like agent reassignment. Why don't you take a week off? You've done an excellent job filling in for Rouge and I should have a new assignment for you by next week."

"Oh, ok. I mean, yes sir. Thank you," Azure replied, turning to leave Towers' office.

"Azure," Towers started, causing her to stop just as she opened the door. "You're a good agent. Don't forget that. Things are just… going back to normal. You understand, don't you?"

"Yes, I do," Azure answered plainly before leaving Towers' office and shutting the door behind her. Deep down, she did know that being part of Team Dark would only be for a while, at least until Rouge got back. But she didn't expect Rouge to be back so quickly. Azure had enjoyed being around and working with Shadow and Omega so much, she had almost forgotten that it was only a temporary change and things would eventually have to return to the way they were, where she rarely saw the two. Most times she found herself half expecting Shadow and Omega to walk through the door looking for her. She even found herself absent-mindedly heading towards the hangar when Team Dark was called on for a mission, only for her to remember halfway there that Team Dark no longer included her.

The comfort that came with Azreal's words was short lived and she soon felt herself consumed with depression and loneliness. She passed by Hope's workshop, but saw the young genius was busy at work.

_'She looks really busy. I probably shouldn't disturb her,'_ Azure thought, continuing down the hallway. She had already made plans with Hope the next day, so perhaps it was best to let her finish her work. Besides, Azure had already promised that she would visit her uncle again and she didn't want to keep him waiting.

She landed on the grass just outside Azreal's hut softly before running up to the door. "Uncle Azreal! Guess who?" she cried, trying to throw as much excitement in her greeting as she could. Just as she was about to knock on his front door, she noticed it stood already open. "You left the door open!" she called out, gently pushing the door open.

She poked her head inside and her eyes immediately flew over to her uncle, who stood encased in ice with a look of shock on his face. "Uncle Azreal!" she cried, running over to her frozen uncle. "Wh-what happened? Who did this?" she asked, as if he could hear her left alone respond. "June? June where are you?" she called out.

"Hello sister." Azure suddenly froze in place when she heard the familiar, deep and sinister voice. She remained still for a few seconds, silently begging that the voice she heard was just a figment of her imagination and that he really wasn't here. "Guess who?" the voice sang in a mocking lullaby tone. Azure slowly turned her head back to the front door, as a sharp-clawed hand suddenly came out from behind it and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

From the shadow of the door emerged a bright orange bird with a beak and talons as sharp as a finely crafted sword and purple eyes that said, "I will kill you" in a murderous tone. Azure shuddered as she saw the bird stalk over to her like a lion stealthily stalking their unsuspecting prey and with shaking legs, she stepped back each time he advanced.

"Your little field trip is over, sister. You've made your point: uncle still lives and the surface has forgotten us. Both facts that will come to change when the time arrives. Come, let's go home," he spoke in a sinister voice dripping with venom. He casually held out his hand to her, and stared at her, mentally trying to convince her to come without a fight.

He was strong and she knew that. But she wouldn't give in. She had come too far to surrender and submit to his will now.

Azure clenched her fingers into fists and mustered all the courage she could find before muttering, "No." The bird narrowed his eyes in disappointment and withdrew his hands. "I won't go with you, Garnett," she said, turning the knobs on her gauntlets as she charged the electric energy in her hands.

Garnett threw his head back and cackled. "You want to fight me? Me? One look at you and I know you don't have what it takes to face me, sister. You may have upgraded from those gauntlets that pathetic Anubis crafted for you, but that still tells me you don't have complete control over your powers, which means you won't give it your all because you're afraid of losing control. An admirable quality: your concern for others, but I wouldn't know anything about that, would I?" he mocked, bringing his hand up as he summoned a large fireball that floated on his palm. "I am giving you one last chance to come quietly, sister," Garnett said, narrowing his eyes. "Do not test my patience."

Azure said nothing and charged more lightning to show her rejection of his meaningless offer. As quick as she could, she released the lightning she stored and fired it straight at her brother, holding nothing back. Garnett easily countered and blasted bright, burning flames in return. For a few seconds, the two seemed evenly matched and neither side, fire and lightning, seemed to let up.

Garnett grunted in annoyance and let out a piercing shriek as he blasted her with a large force of flames, knocking Azure through the back wall of Azreal's hut and into the small garden he had in the back. "You've gotten stronger since you ran off, I'll give you that. But you still have your limits. I, however, have none."

Garnett raised his hand and threw a fireball at Azure, which she easily jumped to the side to dodge. "Yeah, well I've learned a thing or two up here!"

"Ha! What could you have possibly learned from these pathetic surface dwellers?" Garnett mocked.

Azure didn't bother dignifying that with a response and dashed up to her brother, narrowly dodging the chain of fireballs he sent towards her. She threw a few punches his way, but Garnett easily dodged them. He moved forward with his razor sharp talons at the ready and slashed them right across her right forearm. Azure jumped back and cried out in pain, immediately covering her arm with her hand as blood soaked into her glove.

"You waste our time with this futile resistance, sister. No matter what you do, there will only be one outcome. Give up," he ordered.

"Never!" Azure turned the knobs of her gauntlets again, past a point she hadn't yet turned them to. She could feel the lightning surging through her body as the clouds darkened overhead. Garnett saw this and his eyes widened in surprise as he took a step back in caution. Azure looked up at the storm looming overhead as her eyes glowed a bright white. She had only seen this done by her future self in succession once and she hoped she knew enough to keep the storm in control long enough to drive Garnett back. A bolt of lightning shot down from the clouds above and Azure redirected it towards the phoenix.

Garnett quickly held up his arms in defense, summoning a wall of fire to shield him. He dug his talons into the dirt to hold his ground but the force of the lightning was stronger than he anticipated and was slowly pushing him back. Garnett lost his grip on the ground and the lightning sent him flying into a tree. He felt the tree splinter a bit on his back and he gave out an uneven and jolting cry of pain as the lightning coursed through his body.

When the lightning finally stopped, Azure collapsed on her hands and knees and began panting heavily as the dark clouds above her subsided and the sky returned to it's bright blue. She quickly turned the knobs back into place before cautiously walking over to the body of her brother that lay smoking against the snapped tree trunk. His eyes were closed and his beak lay open and she couldn't hear him breathing and carefully inspected his face to see if she had really done it, if she had really beaten her brother and ended the nightmare of him once and for all.

All of a sudden, a sharp taloned hand shot out and tightly gripped her throat. Azure desperately gasped for air as her hands made a futile attempt to claw the hand that was preventing her intake of oxygen off her throat. She could hear Garnett's wicked laughter as he roughly pushed himself off the broken trunk that collapsed once he got off it and slowly raised Azure into the air by her neck.

"Did you honestly think it would be that easy?" Garnett laughed. "I am immortal, sister. Your lightning cannot kill me. There is no escape," he whispered.

Azure could feel her lungs burning for air as Garnett's grip on her neck tightened. She flapped her wings and frantically waved her tail to try and escape Garnett's vice grip, but she was quickly losing energy and her eyelids felt heavy. She suddenly felt Garnett release his tight grip on her neck and she roughly fell onto the ground. She placed her hand on his chest as she roughly coughed as air finally filled her lungs.

"Lucky for you, I need you alive. We've wasted enough time. Let's go," Garnett said, walking past her. She heard additional footsteps and felt another figure looming over her. She weakly looked up to see a rainbow colored serpent and a tall, light blue muscular yeti towering over her.

"Gh-ghost, Pine... please," she pleaded in a weak voice.

"Sorry," muttered Pine, before punching Azure and knocking her unconscious. He hoisted his sister's body up into his arms and swung her over his shoulder. "What about uncle? And Azure said something about a 'June', didn't she?" Pine asked, Garnett.

"They don't matter. We have what we came for," Garnett said with a wicked smile. "Let's go... Back to the Veil."

* * *

A few days had passed since Rouge had retaken her place on Team Dark and Shadow had not seen Azure since. While he would never admit it, he became quite fond of the young dragon. Though she was rather naive and inexperienced, she was also strong willed and determined, both qualities Shadow admired.

Rouge, while a welcome return and one of his oldest friends, was her usual self. And after meeting and working with Azure, he tried to find what made Rouge tolerable to work with and was relatively disappointed when he could not find such qualities. He had always been solely focused on getting the job done, which Rouge was no doubt very good at, but never before had her shrewd and selfish personality been more prominent than it had now. This reminded him of the time they were fighting over the Sol Emerald with three other teams and while Shadow intended to return it to Blaze, the Sol Emerald's rightful owner whom Shadow owed a debt, Rouge would not allow the gem to be in anyone's possession other than hers, even if it not being in her hands was ultimately the right thing to do.

And while he had always put up with Rouge's... flirtatious side, he found it increasingly difficult to tolerate especially when they were on the job. It never bothered him before since he certainly did not feel that way about Rouge, but she made a constant point about how great they would be together and would always shamelessly throw herself at him. Shadow felt his thoughts wandering back to what Umber, Azure's brother - or rather his future self - had told him: that Azure was in love with him.

Whether she genuinely was in love with him or not didn't matter to him. But if she did, Azure certainly didn't flaunt or throw herself at Shadow as Rouge made a habit of doing. That was another reason Shadow found Azure's company more enjoyable than Rouge's. At least Azure respected his personal space and his own feelings not to constantly prod and poke him about "taking it to the next level," as Rouge called it.

Perhaps he should check up on her, at least to let her know that he enjoyed working with her the past month and that he would be open to the opportunity again in the future.

"Hope, have you seen Azure around?" Shadow asked as he entered her workshop.

"Oh hey Shadow!" greeted Hope. "I haven't seen her since she went to see Commander Towers about her reassignment since Rouge got back. She told me she got a week off until the Commander can find somewhere to put her. She's probably off visiting her uncle."

'_Her uncle… Azreal?'_ he thought to himself, remembering that she had mentioned her uncle just before they reached the Desert Palace where they confronted Mephiles. "He lives out near the Mystic Ruins, doesn't he?"

"That's right, though I'm not sure exactly where in the ruins he lives."

"That's fine. I'll find it myself," he said, leaving the workshop and heading towards the base's exit. He stopped when he felt a pair of large, sharp eyes on him.

"Where are you off to, handsome?" Rouge's voice rang from behind him as she strolled over to him.

"I have a personal matter to attend to," he answered vaguely.

Rouge sighed. "It's always business with you. When are you ever going to loosen up? And where'd that kid run off to? I haven't seen her since I got back. She must have been pretty good if you requested her to hold my place."

"Somehow I feel like you might have something to do with that, Rouge. You never did like sharing the spotlight."

"What can I say? I'm a high maintenance kind of gal. There's only room for one lady on this team."

"You always got the job done, Rouge. That's what makes you a good agent. But lately, it feels like it's becoming more about you and less about the team and what's right. Need I remind you of what happened with Blaze and the Sol Emerald?"

"If you had let me finish the job, we'd have a Sol Emerald in our possession," Rouge remarked, poking Shadow's chest.

"And if Blaze had not helped me, I'd still be trapped in her dimension. She helped me, so it was only fair that I help her in return."

"So serious all the time. When are you going to start thinking for yourself?" Rouge sighed, diverting the subject of the conversation.

"Perhaps that's where your problem is Rouge: all you ever think about is yourself. The last thing I need on our team is a selfish agent looking to make a name for themselves. Get your priorities straightened out because the way I see it, Azure might start being a better fit for the team than you."

* * *

**So when I was writing the Garnett-Azure fight scene, I started thinking to myself that Azure should be a bit braver. I mean, after all the time she's spent with Shadow and Omega, she's bound to have gotten more of a backbone and learned a thing or two. Sadly, there's just no beating Garnett :) **

**Uh, I mean :(**

**Is it bad that I enjoy writing Garnett so much? Villains are always so much fun to write. **

**Again, if you feel I'm making Rouge too mean or putting her down at every chance I get, I apologize. It's very likely that my hatred of Rouge is affecting my ability to properly portray the character. You know what, it's probably absolutely true. I just fucking hate Rouge and I'm sorry if you don't like how I'm portraying her. But I've seen how much meaner she is in the comics than in the game and I truly believe this is how she would act.**

**The Blaze and Sol Emerald conflict that Shadow mentioned took place during the Sonic Universe arc, Treasure Team Tango. **

**Until next time!**


	3. On Ice

**Well, sorry for the wait. I was super busy with a midterm and some assignments, but hey, that's university for you. And I'm extra sorry to you xSakuraBlossom because I know how much you hate waiting for updates ^3^ I love you! XD**

**Also, before we continue, I would just like to elaborate on my portrayal of Rouge after I had a discussion about it with ChristianSoldier5. As I have stated, I have no doubts that I am portraying Rouge OOC. But I feel that she, in fact, is portrayed OOC in the games when compared to her initial appearance and my initial, general understanding of her character. Rouge is supposed to be selfish and, well to my understanding, a bitch. But I don't ever see that in her personality in games. In fact, I see it more in the comics. In addition, the Sonic franchise already has tons of goody two shoes characters and Rouge shouldn't be added to that. The Sonic franchise is in need of more mean characters because Eggman just doesn't cut it anymore. So, the way I portray Rouge here is how I feel she should be portrayed.**

**Thanks for all the reviews and faves! They mean a lot to me. Apologies for any spelling or grammar errors; they are completely my fault.**

**I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog, only Azure, Azreal and other mentioned OCs.**

* * *

Shadow raced through the forest just out past Station Square. He was getting close to Mystic Ruins but he had no idea where Azreal's home was and he had a lot of ground to cover.

It wasn't like Azure to just disappear without a word, even if she had a week off. From what he learned from Umber, her brother from the future during the Solaris incident, Azure was running from something. If her uncle were here, she wouldn't stray too far. She was young and had never done anything like this before, so she'd want to stay somewhere familiar, somewhere where there were people she could depend on. Hope didn't seem all too concerned and tried to convince Shadow that he was worrying over nothing, but something just felt wrong.

Azure hadn't exactly been the same since Rouge got back and he couldn't blame her. Rouge never did play well with others, especially when she felt her territory was threatened. He didn't know what Rouge said to Azure, but it couldn't have been good. For one thing, he stopped seeing her around HQ. She'd drop in on him just to say "hi" now and then, but more often he'd notice her watching his sparring matches when she thought he wasn't looking. It never bothered him, really. He would just take notice of her presence for a second and then go back to what he was focusing on.

But she wasn't there today. In fact, nobody had seen her. Hope still thought he was just overacting and suggested Azure had simply spent the night over at her uncle's, so he figured it couldn't hurt just check up on her and see for himself.

All of a sudden, something shot out of the trees and landed on his head. He easily swatted the thing away and dove to the side to view his attacked. It was small, white and red and landed against a tree trunk before landing softly on the ground.

Shadow relaxed and strolled over to see the little creature that latched onto him was a Chao, but it wasn't a regular Chao like the ones he normally saw. This one was a deep red and white with claws on it's hands and feet, scales covering parts of it's body, a tail, wings, two horns and a halo floating it's head.

Just as he bent down to the Chao's level, he could hear it groan and push itself off the ground. It stumbled back and forth, rubbing it's head before finally coming to a stop. It shook it's head and opened it's eyes, widening at the sight of Shadow.

"Chao! Chao chao chao! Chao chao!" it squealed, flying around Shadow in a frenzy.

"Wh-what's wrong?" he asked. The Chao grabbed the cuffs around his wrist and began pulling him forward.

"You want me to follow you? I can't help you; I need to find someone," he said, turning away it's cries and pleas.

The Chao quickly flew around him to stop him from leaving. "Chao chao! Chao!" it pleaded.

This Chao seemed desperate for his help. Was it looking for him specifically or was he just the first person it saw? He hadn't been the Mystic Ruins often, but he did know that there was no Chao garden near the area. So why was this Chao all the way out here? Could it be connected to Azure? As he inspected the Chao's physical features, it did appear very dragon-like. That couldn't be a coincidence, could it?

"All right," he conceded, "Lead the way." A smile beamed across the Chao's face as it dashed deeper into the forest, looking back now and then to make sure Shadow was following, which he was – quite effortlessly in fact – and occasionally waving it's hand to encourage him to keep following. The Chao led him further and further into the trees before the trees opened up into a wide clearing.

Shadow scanned the area and noticed the signs of battle: a snapped tree trunk and the dirt just before the snapped tree was disturbed and overturned, as if someone had been pushed back into it with great force. He then noticed the hut that stood in the clearing. With luck, it would be Azure's uncle's.

The Chao quickly disappeared inside and urged Shadow to enter as well with it's cries. The door was left open, perhaps by the Chao or someone else, and Shadow lightly pushed the door open. In seconds, he scanned the interior of the hut, but what caught his attention the most the large hole in the back wall of the hut and a figure encased in ice. Shadow slowly walked up to the ice and gently placed his hand on it, noticing that the Chao was floating next to him. He squinted his eyes to get a closer look at the figure inside.

"Is that someone you know?" Shadow asked the Chao. It nodded and chirped in agreement. "We'll have to get him out. He might know something about what happened here." Shadow thought of the possible means he could use to thaw the ice. He thought of his Chaos powers at first, but that would just smash the ice and risk shattering whoever was trapped inside and he couldn't risk that with his only witness. "Omega, I need you at my location immediately," he said, speaking into the communicating around his wrist.

Within a few minutes, Shadow could hear Omega's jets and saw the black and red robot in the distance. "You require my assistance?" Omega asked, landing.

"Yes," Shadow said, motioning for Omega to follow him into the small hut. Omega stopped at the door and hesitated before walking right through as his shoulder pads and arms tore off the sides of the doorframe as he entered. "Why did you do that?"

"I could not fit," Omega answered plainly.

"You could have just gone in sideways," Shadow pointed out.

"…I will remember that for next time. What did you require my assistance for?" Omega asked again.

"Azure's been missing for a while, or at least I haven't seen her. Hope told me she was probably visiting her uncle, who lives somewhere here in the Mystic Ruins. I think this is his home, but there's no sign of Azure and clear indications of a fight outside and my only witness is encased in ice. Can you thaw him out?"

"I can," Omega stated, arming his missiles.

"Just the flamethrower will be fine, Omega," Shadow said, holding up his hands to stop him. "And try not to burn the house down."

"I make no such promises," Omega said, as he unleashed two bright, hot streams of fire at the ice, which easily melted at the heat.

All of a sudden, a burning white flame shot out from the ice and the extreme heat that emanated from pushed Shadow and Omega back against the far wall of the hut.

"I won't let you take her!" a low voice from the ice roared out with a vicious growl. Omega readied his guns to fire back in retaliation, but Shadow put his hand on Omega's arm to stop him. The dragon leapt forth from the white flames, his eyes in a rage and a thin blade in his hand, ready to go in for the kill but he stopped once he saw Shadow and Omega. "Wh-what? What happened?" he asked wearily, rubbing his head as the white flames died down.

"Chao chao!" the Chao flew over to Azreal, a wide smile across it's face.

"June? What happened? Where did they go?" he asked, as the Chao responded, which he seemed to understand. He sighed and closed his eyes once the Chao finished speaking. "Then if it's been that long, they'll be back to the Veil by now." Azreal turned a noticed the hedgehog and robot standing in his destroyed hut. "Oh, my apologies. The last thing I remembered before I was frozen was being under attack. You…you are Shadow the Hedgehog and E-123 Omega."

"How did you know our names?" Shadow asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"My niece speaks of you often," he replied, sheathing his blade back into his cane.

"Your niece? You mean Azure?"

"Yes, my name is Azreal and I am Azure's uncle," he said, holding out his hand to shake Shadow's. "I am thankful that you came when you did. It would have taken days for June to thaw me out on her own. I do not mean to sound ungrateful, but what exactly brings you out here?"

"Azure hasn't been around G.U.N. HQ for a while. I just came by to check up on her, but it seems my suspicions that something was wrong were correct," Shadow said, crossing his arms.

"I am glad that Azure has made friends that care about her, but I am afraid this is something you cannot help her with," Azreal replied with despair and sadness across his eyes.

"What do you mean? Who attacked you?"

"My nephews: Pine, Ghost and Garnett… Azure's brothers."

"Her brothers?" The only brother of Azure's he had met was Umber and even he had hinted Azure had more siblings than just him.

"Yes, if they have Azure, then there is no hope."

"What are you talking about? I don't have time for your riddles!" Shadow shouted in anger.

"How much has Azure told you about our family?"

"You're the only one she's mentioned by name."

"I am not surprised. Our family is the House of Mythos and we are from the Mythsetia Veil."

"Mythsetia Veil? I've never heard of that place before," said Shadow.

"There is nothing in my databanks about a 'Mythsetia Veil'," added Omega.

"Then there is much for me to explain. Long ago, the Mythsetia Veil was a land of magic. Hundreds of families lived there in peace, each with their own unique form of magic. But the other societies saw us as a threat and launched genocide against our people, the Great Purge. Our people were not warriors and many of us were cut down defending out families. Those that survived traveled to the underground catacombs and lived on in secret to this day. And as if wiping out our numbers was not insult enough, they erased every record of our existence! My family, the House of Mythos, is the ruling power. My brother, Hydra was the chief of our people and he was succeeded by his eldest, Garnett. A legend was foretold that Garnett as his siblings would bring about the destruction of the surface world, your world," explained Azreal.

"How would they do that?"

"The magic of my family is elemental sorcery. Our ancestor, Mythos, could manipulate all nine elements of darkness, earth, fire, lightning, wood, ice, water, wind and light," Azreal said, counting off each element with his fingers. "Since Mythos, nobody of his bloodline has been born with the power of more than one element. Mythos himself foretold this legend and that once all his powers were reunited, he would destroy the surface."

"So this legend refers specifically to Garnett, Azure and their siblings?" asked Shadow.

"No. Garnett believes the legend refers to them because never before have all nine elements been birthed."

"So Azure and her siblings…"

"Each of them represents the nine elements. I do not know how Garnett plans to carry this out, but I know he needs all his brothers and sisters for it to work."

"That's why Azure ran away, isn't it? If she wasn't there, Garnett could carry out this supposed legend," said Shadow.

"Yes. She came to me a few months ago after she escaped. I was the only family she had left and the only person on the surface she could trust. I swore I would protect her if Garnett came looking for her…and I failed her," Azreal said with a disappointed sigh.

"Maybe it's not too late. We can rescue her and stop Garnett!"

"Stop Garnett? There is no 'stopping Garnett'! Do you not understand? He has the lightning he needs now! There is nothing stopping him. All you can do now is gather those that are important to you and just wait for the end."

"Th-that's it? That's all you're going to do? Azure's your niece, your family! I thought you cared about her!"

"Of course I care about her! She is the only family I have known for years!" shouted Azreal in return.

"But you're content sitting here and doing nothing when she needs you? Wallow in your self-pity all you want. I'm going to rescue her. Omega, you coming?"

"Affirmative!" Omega stated with no hesitation.

"Let's go," said Shadow, waving to Omega as the two exited Azreal's hut.

"Wait," Azreal spoke, causing Shadow and Omega to stop and turn back towards him. "If you are going to the Veil, you will need someone to take you," Azreal said with a smile, walking up to them.

"Good," Shadow responded with a smirk.

* * *

**Wasn't too sure where to end this chapter, but this felt like a good place. Hope this was enough to satisfy you guys (you in particular xSakuraBlossom! XD) and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**New character introduced:**

**June the Chao - Azreal's chao (image available on deviantART)**

**Next Chapter: Azure is brought back home to the Mythsetia Veil and a family reunion awaits her.**

**ZP**


	4. Family Reunion

**So it turns out a 3 hour long lecture about Mayan ritual arts on a late Thursday night is all it takes to put me in a writing mood. It helps that the professor is just really boring when it comes to teaching his class. Though I suppose overall it's a bad thing since I get so distracted because he's so boring.**

**Sonic the Hedgehog belongs to SEGA. All OCs and original plot belong to me. Spelling and grammar mistakes are my fault and I would be grateful if you pointed them out for me ^^**

**I would just like warn you guys that this chapter... is pretty... something. Just... just be prepared to see what kind of person Garnett really is. xSakuraBlossom, you'll either hate me or love me when this is over. Just a warning. ^3^**

* * *

Garnett strolled across the wide plain towards the base of a large mountain that stood before him. All around him were thick trees that grew over what once was the heart of their ancestor's civilization. He bent down just a few feet from the mountain and brushed his hands on the stone tiles, revealing a circular indentation. Garnett pulled out his family seal, marked with the crest of his ancestor, Mythos, and placed it in the circle. The seal slid in and fit perfectly as the tiles around it suddenly shifted and opened like a set of doors to reveal a long descending staircase that led deeper and deeper into the darkness below. Garnett picked up the seal and turned to his sister, who lay unconscious in their brother's arms.

"Welcome home, sister," he said with an evil grin, forming a fireball in his hands as he and his brothers descended down the staircase and the doors closed behind them, once again concealing the entrance to their hidden society.

When they finally reached the bottom of the stairs, a cavern opened up before them, lit by bright crystals that grew in the walls and ceiling of the cavern while several houses, each with a crest like the one on Garnett's seal, adorned on the front door.

"Kabuto," Garnett said, addressing the crimson beetle that stood guard at the entrance. "Inform the village that I have returned and to gather in the main courtyard. I have... an important announcement to make."

"Yes, chief Garnett," Kabuto said, bowing. Within minutes, Garnett stood atop the platform in the main courtyard, the entire village gathered around him waiting what he had to say.

"My fellow Mythsetians. A few months ago, I heard the whispers that escaped your tongues questioning my ability to rule. While you may question my ability, never dare question my right! As first-born son to Hydra Mythos and Adalinda, it is my birthright to be your ruler! But it soon became clear that birthright alone did not stop one of our own from deliberately defying my order to never journey to the surface.

"Of course, I speak of my dear youngest sister, Azure. You all remember her, yes? You must remember her for you all speak of how brave she was to defy my word, my law! So much in fact that some of you became inspired and sought to follow in her example. But, we all know how that turned out, didn't we?" he asked, eyeing his blue haired and red eyed sister, Sapphire, in the crowd.

"But, none of you were witness to that. So I have taken the liberty of doing you all a favor and showing you first hand exactly what will happen when you defy me!" On cue, Pine stepped up on the platform, Azure struggling in his arms, powerless to fight against his superior physical strength. When the crowd saw her, they all gasped and whispers flooded the courtyard.

"One little act of defiance from you was enough to sow the seeds of disloyalty, sister dear. Now I will show you just what happens to those who defy me. You weren't here to witness what I did to Shamrock, but when I'm through with you, you'll be begging me to set you on fire."

Garnett snapped his fingers and Pine threw Azure to the ground in front of him. Before she could push herself off the ground, Garnett swung his leg and kicked her right on the side of her head, knocking her onto the ground. She scrambled to get away, but Garnett quickly stepped down hard on the end of her tail, keeping her in place while his claws dug into her scales. He brought his other foot down hard on her tail, snapping the bone, causing Azure to let out a painful shriek that echoed across the walls of the cavern.

"Can't steer with a broken tail, can you sister? And you can't fly with a broken wing!" Garnett hissed as he grabbed one of her wings and drove his elbow onto it, breaking the bone as well. Azure let out another cry, tears rushing from her eyes as she desperately clawed at the ground to pull herself away from his cruel torture.

All around her, she saw the faces of the people she had known since she was a child, each one as paralyzed by fear as the next, too afraid to act up and do something to help her. But she found that she couldn't blame them, for her reaction would be the same if she were in their place. But that was months ago, when she was still a frightened little girl and not the brace government agent she was now. And yet, she still found herself unable to resist or fight back. Despite how much stronger she had grown in Garnett's absence, being at his mercy undid all the courage and determination she had gained.

"Does that hurt, sister? Good! Remember that feeling the next time you choose to defy me!" he shouted, kicking her chest as she tried to sit up on her hands and knee, his claws scratching her abdomen in the process. He roughly placed his foot on the back of her head, pushing her face into the dirt, muffling her cries and sobs of pain.

"You won't be leaving again, unless that is my will. Do you understand?" When Azure didn't respond, he asked again, much louder and angrier, earning and frightened muffled scream. "I'm glad we understand each other. But your word is no guarantee. I need to make sure you won't get away on my watch again. You won't fly far with a broken wing and you certainly won't run far with a broken leg!" he shouted, bringing his foot down a final time on her shin. Azure cried out in pain a third time, louder than she ever had before finally...

"ENOUGH!"

Garnett turned from the public display he was enjoying too much to see his brother, Umber, step onto the platform.

"Brother," Garnett addressed, "you are interfering with my law." Garnett removed his foot from Azure's leg and strolled over to his brother. Once he was gone from Azure's body, Sapphire rushed onto the platform followed by her satyr brother, Sepia, and gently scooped Azure's body into her lap, tenderly caressing her face and whispering words of love and care. She was careful to not move or disturb the injuries Garnett had inflicted upon her while Azure softly cried in her sister's arms.

"Sapphire..." Azure mumbled. Her eyes shut tight as tears slid down her cheeks.

"It's ok, Azure. Everything will be all right. Your big sister is here, sh-shh..." she cooed, trying her best to ease Azure's pain.

"This is no law! This is torture!" Umber protested.

"Two sides of the same coin. Do you have something to say, brother? Or have you completely missed the point of my demonstration?"

Umber hesitated to speak and looked at the many faces staring at him, urging him to do something. "You've made you point, brother. A-any more and you could kill her. And you need us all alive, remember?" Umber was silently disappointed in himself that that was all he could manage to say.

"Oh, Azure is alive. I have no doubts about that. She simply needed to learn her lesson."

"And she has! Please, brother, she is still just a child. She does not deserve this!"

Garnett thought for a moment. "And how would you suppose I solidify my law when our youngest sibling is a consistent source of insubordination?"

"Take it out on me," Umber answered quickly.

"Quick to offer?" Garnett asked, cocking his eyebrow.

"Azure is just a child. She is not... conditioned to take your... form of discipline. I am. Use me as your example, and leave her be. She's been through enough."

"You would accept this burden?" asked Garnett.

"I would."

"Knowing full well that any and all infractions and insubordination committed by her will fall on your shoulders?"

"Yes."

Garnett grinned and swiftly punched Umber on his cheek. Umber stumbled back and bit his lip to suppress a cry of pain. He straightened up and glared at his brother, not wavering. Garnett chuckled lightly in response. "Very well, brother," he said, glancing back at Sapphire and Sepia carefully tending to Azure. "I believe I have made my message clear. Let us hope that we need not do this again."

* * *

**Would it bad of me to say how much I enjoyed writing this chapter? Not just the beating up Azure part, but writing Garnett was just so much fun.**

**Also! I just wanted to let you all know that I am starting a crossover between Dragon Age and Sonic. It's called Sonic Age: Champions of Mobius and is basically a retelling of Dragon Age 2 with Sonic characters. Some prelim sketches are on my dA and I plan on posting the first chapter either tonight or tomorrow. So if you're a fan of one or both, check it out!**

**Next Chapter: Love Story - As they make their way to the Mythsetia Veil, Azreal tells his family's history and the history of his people to Shadow.**


	5. Love Story

**I'm glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter. Garnett was a huge fun to write as I can't wait to write him again. But do you know who is also just as much fun to write as? The wise ol' hermit Azreal. This chapter is more or less filler, but it does give a lot of background information on Azure's people, Azreal's relationship with Azure's mother and Garnett's plans.**

* * *

"How much longer until we get there?" asked Shadow.

"At this rate, we can make it to the site of our ancestral village by midday tomorrow. But we should rest for the night. We've been moving all day," said Azreal.

"Fine." Shadow sat down against a tree while Omega simply remained standing, having no need to rest. Azreal had gathered a few branches and piled them up on the ground, before setting them aflame with a white ball of fire he expertly formed in the palm of his hand. "Azreal…"

"Yes?" Azreal asked, looking up from the fire.

"What are you?" Shadow asked.

"Pardon? I don't quite understand your question," Azreal asked in confusion.

"I've never seen any individual with the powers you and Azure have. The only time I've ever encountered someone who could manipulate flames was in another dimension. And I get the feeling that there's something you're not telling me," Shadow answered with a glare. "I don't like being kept in the dark."

"There's a lot I'm not telling you. Do you wish me to tell you?" Azreal asked.

"I'm always ready for a fight, Azreal. That's something you should know about me. And I absolutely anticipate a firefight when we find Azure."

"As do I. I will answer whatever questions you have to the best of my abilities. What do you wish to know?"

"Everything. Start at the beginning."

Azreal took in a deep breath and began reciting, "Long ago, many many thousands of years ago, existed a land called the Mythsetia Veil. This was land of peace and harmony, and most importantly, of magic. Over one hundred families lived in this land, each with their own unique form of magic. Azure and I are Mythsetians, members of the race that once inhabited the Mythsetia Veil. The only thing my people ever sought was to coexist peacefully with those around us and keep the heritage of our magic alive. However, some people interpreted our goals as something different."

"Different?" asked Shadow.

"Let me explain. When something or someone possesses a great amount of power and even if he uses that for good, eventually others begin to wonder. 'What something happens to him? What if, one day, he decides he no longer wants to use those powers to help people, but instead to enslave them and rule over them as a tyrant?' It only takes one individual to whisper these thoughts before it spreads among a population like a virus, infecting the minds of everyone around him. Soon after, it no longer matters how virtuous this being may appear or how heroic he is. The thought and possibility that he could turn is far less comforting than seeing him as their protector and prompts them to turn on him before he could possibly do the same, even if it is not what he plans to do."

"I know that feeling," Shadow said.

"Yes, I had heard about the invasion of the Black Arms aliens and how you defeated their leader. There was much slander against you, as I understand."

"It was before I joined up with G.U.N. Commander Towers was convinced that I would help Black Doom and his aliens… because I was created from his Doom's DNA. Towers assumed that because of this, I would follow Doom."

"And you proved them wrong. You cast aside the looks and accusations they gave you – accusations that you would join these invaders – and you stopped them. When everyone believed you would destroy the world, you proved them wrong. You saved them. I think that's why Azure is so drawn to you. You embody this courage and determination she wishes she could. You had succeeded at the one thing she has always wanted – doing good, despite what fate had already written out for her."

"What do you mean?"

"Our… family history is rather complicated. Back to what I was talking about earlier, other societies eventually began to fear the extent of our magic. They all met together – in secret – and believing we would mount a global invasion to enslave them, they planned to make the first strike. We were caught off guard and we were a peaceful people. We were no fighters or soldiers. At the very least we were farmers, craftsmen, practitioners of magic. We knew not how to fight! Those who tried to hold the invaders back were violently killed and barely bought their families enough time to flee. 'There were to be no survivors,' they had said and so they proceeded to kill every last man, woman and child they saw. Some found fortune, however. Within the Veil, there is an underground bunker originally used for storage called the Catacombs. My ancestors and other survivors made it there and hid from the remainder of the attack. But by the time they got there, there were no more ten families that made it out of the slaughter."

"They didn't find them? It was that easy?" asked Shadow in confusion.

"No, the bunker was made from a natural rock substance that blocked magical signals from coming in or going out. Nothing of magic properties could be detected within the bunker, but in turn, we could strike no contact with the surface. My ancestors remained there for thousands of years, for fear that even stepping outside could alert the invaders to our continued existence. My people did not deserve such injustice. A 'Great Purge,' they called it."

"Great Purge… I've never heard of this."

"'History is written by the victors.' As one final insult to our people, those who attacked and nearly whipped us out denied our existence. Any indication that we ever existed was erased from all historical records."

"And how many of you are there now?" Shadow asked.

"Only seven families. Imagine each family was a single voice amidst a choir and in one foul swoop, hundreds of those voices were silenced, forever. So much of our people… our history, just gone."

"I can't imagine losing so much like that. Nothing I say would help, though," Shadow muttered.

"I expect no condolence from you, Shadow. It was, after all, a long time ago."

"So what forms of magic do these remaining families use?"

"Well, mine and Azure's family specialize in a form of sorcery, otherwise known as elemental magic. Our ancestor, Mythos, was said to have been able to wield all nine elements of darkness, earth, fire, lightning, wood, ice, water, wind and light. Though now, we are often born with only one element. You know mine," he said, forming a white fireball in his hand before smothering it as his fist closed around the flames, "and you know Azure's. Our family would be equated to the ruling power of a nation. The head of my family is the leader of the entire society, a position my brother once held, and one that my nephew, Azure's brother, now holds. Next is the House of Arch, spellcasters charged with the task of preserving our history in the Archives; the House of Galen, technomages, were in charge of, well, the technology; following them is the House of Divinus, illusionists with a keen eye for seeing into the future; the House of Tilasm, masters of talisman magic; the House of Mestaclocan, the shapeshifters – even after all these years, we still don't know what any of them really look like; and finally, the House of Psyche, gifted with the power to read the thoughts of others and compel things to move only with a single thought."

"I think I might have met someone from this House of Psyche," started Shadow.

"That is… not possible. Azure and I are the only Mythsetians to have ever left the Catacombs since the Purge. You mean to tell me you've met with a surviving member of the Psyche bloodline?" Azreal asked, his eyes wide and jaw dropped in disbelief.

"He was from the future so…"

"Ah… I suppose that would explain it. If so then he is likely a descendent of Alexander or Phoebe," Azreal muttered to himself in wonder. Azreal looked up and saw Shadow's eyebrow cocked in confusion before he continued speaking to clarify, "They are the only two of Psyche's bloodline alive today."

"Ah, so you were the first one to ever leave the Catacombs, then?" Shadow asked.

"Yes."

"Why did you leave?"

"It… is a complicated story. When I was a child, I had two best friends: Anubis of the House of Galen and Azure's mother, Adalinda. Linny, I called her. We were the best of friends and we did everything together. As we grew older, we grew closer and eventually my feelings for Linny became… something more. And I believe she felt it too. But alas, it was not meant to be. Linny was to be married to my older brother, Hydra, the leader of our people by birthright. I could not interfere."

"You stood by and let the woman you love marry someone else? Your own brother?" Shadow asked.

"I thought I could. I thought I could follow the customs of our people and know my place. He was our leader; his decision was law and I had no right to defy him. But after seeing her in someone else's arms, I could hold my tongue no longer. During the feast the night before they were to be wed, I announced in front of the entire village that I loved Linny and that I wanted her to marry me instead of Hydra."

"I assume your brother didn't take the news well?" asked Shadow.

"He most certainly didn't. He looked at me with hate and malice and called me a traitor. I had insulted his honor and he challenged me to a fight to the death. The victor would get Linny. But I couldn't fight my brother. As much as I hated the monster he became, he was still my brother. I couldn't bear the thought of killing him and having his blood on my hands. So that night, I packed up what little things I could take with me that I couldn't leave behind and I left. I haven't been back since."

"You left her behind too?"

"She wanted to come with me. She begged me to take her with me. Every fiber of my being wanted to, but I couldn't. If I took her with me, it would give Hydra more reason to come after me. She would be in danger and I wouldn't put her through that. She was safer in the Catacombs and as it turns, she must have convinced Hydra to not hunt me down. But this love story is irrelevant, of whom you need to know the most about is Garnett."

"Garnett…He's the one that attacked your hut and took Azure?" Shadow repeated.

"Yes. First born son of my brother Hydra and Adalinda, he is now the leader of my people. Make no mistake, Shadow. Garnett is every bit the twisted psychopath my brother became. He is cruel, but not to his own people unless he needs to be. I have no doubts that he will have already exacted some form of punishment on Azure. His goal is simple: he only wishes that our people, the Mythsetians, retake their 'rightful' place – and I use the term loosely – as the true rulers of this world. He is a supremacist and anything that threatens his plan he will fervently attack. We will be presenting ourselves as a threat to him and to what he desires. He will try to kill us, he will try to kill you… and he may very well succeed."

"I am not so easily defeated," Shadow barked back. "I've gone against the odds before. He doesn't scare me."

"Azure spoke much about your confidence. But what separates admirable confidence from pure insanity? Do not underestimate Garnett, Shadow. You are both immortal. Any fight you both take part in will never end. You have no idea what he is truly capable of."

"Enlighten me then. Just how cruel is your nephew?"

"Cruel enough to rule his own people through force and subjugation, cruel enough to turn and manipulate his own youngest brother into his most loyal servant, cruel enough to make public example of someone brave enough to speak out against his tyranny and keep him around as nothing more than a trophy of his victory and cruel enough to set his own sister on fire."

Shadow sat speechless for a moment. "How do you know all this? You said that you haven't been back at your home since you first left it!"

"June informed me. I sent her there from time to time, just so I could get an idea of how my family and friends were doing. She's small, so she can fit and weave through small passages in the earth that lead to the Catacombs."

"You've been keeping your eye on them."

"In a manner of speaking."

"So what does this have to do with him kidnapping Azure?"

"There was a prophecy – a vision of the future, if you will – by a member of the Divinus bloodline that when each element was born into a member of Mythos bloodline, the world would burn. Never before has each element been born in a single generation."

"But it has now?"

"Yes. Garnett was the first and born with fire, Umber was next and born with-"

"Darkness," interrupted Shadow.

"How did you know that?" Azreal asked, eyes wide.

"Call it a hunch," Shadow replied.

"Well, you're 'hunch' is correct. Umber was born with the ability to control darkness. After him is Sapphire, manipulator of water; then Payne, who controls wind; Sepia, who reigns over earth; Shamrock, who embodies the element of wood; Ghost, who wields light; Pine, who manipulates ice and finally Azure, who embodies pure lightning. This is the first time since Mythos himself where all nine elements have been reunited in Mythos bloodline at one time. Garnett believes this prophecy will come true and he has every intention of making it so. He believes he is destined to fulfill this prophecy, ravage the surface world and restore our people to their rightful place in society."

"So that's why he took Azure?"

"Yes. The prophecy cannot be fulfilled without her. It requires all nine elements, so Garnett requires himself and all his siblings. That is why she ran in the first place. By escaping, she was denying him his goal with her absence. She came to me for help, but I knew it would only be a matter of time before Garnett tracked her down, so I pointed her to G.U.N., hoping that your organization could protect her better than I. Unfortunately, Garnett was well prepared. He knew I was still alive and no doubt deduced Azure would seek me out. He attacked me in my home and Pine froze me. They left me there as bait. Garnett waited for her arrive and when he did, they struggled, the evidence of which you no doubt already saw."

"You know Garnett better than I do and this is your home. What do you suggest we do?"

"Well, using the front door would be suicide. My people will not attack us, but Garnett doesn't need them to. His brothers Ghost and Pine are under his command and if we make an upfront approach, the resulting firefight will not end well for anyone, least of all my people. Our best solution is using stealth. If I know some of my old friends, they will help us hide from Garnett, but your robot friend, Omega, will not be so easily hidden, so he may have to remain behind. Once inside, we locate Azure, make sure she's ok, and from there, we'll need to find a way to strip Garnett of his political power. As the leader of the tribe, no one challenges him. But if we do some reconnaissance, we may be able to figure out a way to weaken him and his hold over my people before we face him."

"So we depose him? Remove him from his seat of power?"

"It may not sound like much, but if there is one thing Garnett will not do it's harm his own kind. If we can turn my people against him and give them the courage to stand up to him, Garnett will be forced into a retreat."

"Why don't we just get in, grab Azure and get out before anyone even notices?" Shadow asked.

"We have no way of knowing just how destructively Garnett will react if she eludes him a second time. He set his own sister on fire after she got away the first time. I don't want to think about what would happen if it happened again."

"But you just said he would never harm his own people, and yet you tell me he killed his own sister!"

"I didn't say she died," Azreal said, earning a stern silence from Shadow. "Azure's escape apparently instilled some courage in her other sisters, Sapphire and Shamrock. But to assert his power and maintain his dominance, he had to make an example. He set Shamrock on fire because he knew she would survive."

"How could she possibly survive?"

"Shamrock is the embodiment of wood and plant life. Though the fire ate at her with ease, she also possesses a form of immortality. She can re-grow her body no matter the damage, which is why Garnett chose her as his example. Knowing this, I cannot let a threat like him continue to rule my people. They deserve a ruler who is just, kind and moral, one capable of being an effective leader."

"Like you?" Shadow asked.

Azreal chuckled. "No, my time has passed. I am no leader, just an exiled hermit. But finding a new leader is not what is important. What is important is stopping Garnett from fulfilling his prophecy. He believes he is destined to fulfill this prophecy and whether it will actually happen or not, Garnett is the danger. We stop him, we stop whatever prophecy this is and secure my people's safety."

"When you put it like that, you almost make it sound easy," Shadow said with a smirk.

"It gets no easier from here Shadow. That I promise you."

* * *

**Omega wasn't really part of this conversation because it was mostly about developing Azreal and Shadow during their rescue mission. More to come!**

**Next Chapter: Trauma - Azure discovers just what transpired after her escape.**


	6. Trauma

**Didn't want to leave too much of a break before this next chapter, so I wrote it out last night. Enjoy.**

* * *

Azure groaned, her entire body aching in pain. She tried to move, but pain instantly shot through her back and leg when she tried to sit up. She felt a pair of rough, scaled hands gently usher her back down onto the bed in which she lay. With as much effort as she could summon in her weakened state, she raised her hand to rub her eyes and clear her vision. The blurry figure that hovered over her finally cleared as she recognized the bright red eyes and long, wavy blue hair.

"Sa-Sapphire?" she whimpered.

"Sh…" she hushed, "it's ok, Azure. Your big sister's here," Sapphire whispered tenderly while gently pushing her bangs out of her eyes. "You're safe now."

"Wh-what happened?" she groaned.

Sapphire hesitated before speaking. "You took a pretty bad beating. Garnett broke your wing, tail and leg. Anubis and Joan fixed up most of the damage, but you'll still need to stay in bed until you recover," she said, dipping a cloth into a bowl of water, squeezing it free of the water and gently placing it on Azure's forehead. "Some of us were starting to think we'd never see you again."

"I missed you, Sapphire," Azure whispered. "I'm sorry I left!" she wailed, her voice breaking.

"No, no sweetie. Don't be sorry. You did what the rest of us weren't brave enough to do. You stood up to him; you started something," Sapphire explained.

"What do you mean?"

"After you left, Garnett was furious. Someone had defied him and succeeded. You showed that Garnett could be defied."

"But not without consequence! He got me just like he said he would! I shouldn't have even bothered trying to get away if I was just going to wind up back here again. What was the point?" Azure turned her face away from Sapphire's.

"The point is things are changing. A-after you got away, I was going follow your example and I was going to take Shamrock with me… to just get away from him, get away from living in an underground bunker all our lives! What's the surface like? Is there water?"

"There's lots of water, huge oceans in fact – you would love it – forests, cities. There are so many people and the sun is just so warm and when it goes down, the moon is so bright and you can see so many stars. But, you're getting off track," Azure said.

"Oh, right. Sorry, I've just been wondering what you got to see up there. You're the first one of us to go up there and come back after all. Well, when Garnett found out Shamrock and I were going to leave, he…he…" she started, her voice growing quieter as her eyes traveled to the ground.

"He what?"

"He set Shamrock on fire," Sapphire whispered, biting back her tears.

"He… he did what?" Azure exclaimed, nearly jumping out of her bed.

"It should have been me! I was the one who wanted to leave. But he set Shamrock on fire instead because he needed us for that stupid prophecy of his! It should have been me," Sapphire whimpered. Despite her best efforts to stay strong, a tear got by her defense and slid down her cheek before she wiped it away.

"B-but I saw Shamrock! And she looked fine!"

"She is fine… physically at least. I was too late to stop the flames from just eating her up and she reverted to a seed. I spent a week watching and waiting for her to regenerate and when she finally did… she just hasn't been the same since. Most nights I'd find her just holding herself, rocking back and forth in the corner, shaking uncontrollably and just muttering about how hot it was. Like I said, things haven't exactly been the same."

Azure dropped her head back onto her pillow and sighed, shutting her eyes tightly. "This is all my fault."

"No! Don't think that, sweetie! Garnett was the one who hurt Shamrock, not you!"

"But if I hadn't have left, you wouldn't have wanted to follow after me and Garnett never would have set her on fire!" Azure continued wailing.

"Part of me thinks that even if you hadn't gotten away, he still would've done something to one of us. Let's talk about something else. Did you at least enjoy the surface while you were there?" Sapphire asked, changing the subject.

"Y-yeah, I found uncle Azreal and he-"

"Uncle Azreal? You mean he's alive?" Sapphire exclaimed.

"Of course he's alive. What made you think he wasn't?" Azure asked in confusion.

"Uncle Azreal was banished before any of us were even born. I remember the others telling us that father said he died when he got to the surface."

"What about the seals? Don't those usually say when one of our family has died?" Azure asked.

"None of us ever got close to it. After father died, it immediately went to Garnett and he hasn't let it out of his sight since. We just figured that meant he really was dead. So, uncle Azreal's alive? He's been alive on the surface all this time?" Sapphire asked, in disbelief.

"Yeah. I found mother's journal and it told me where I could find his home in the forest. I was worried he wouldn't believe me when I told him who I was, but he took me in and treated me like family right away. He actually helped me to practice with my lightning for a bit, but there wasn't much more he could do. So he told me about G.U.N."

"Gun? What's that?"

"Guardian Units of Nations. It's like a military on the surface. Their job is to protect all innocent life. I signed up and they made me these," she said, holding up her arms to show Sapphire her gauntlets.

"Upgraded from Anubis' model, did you?"

"It's not that Anubis didn't do a good job. It's just they just kept getting out of hand!"

"Your powers you mean?"

"Yeah. I just wish they weren't so… the way they are!"

"Azure, we were all born with our abilities for a reason. And the elements we are given reflect who we are."

_'We were born with it for a reason. Whatever Garnett may say about our power, it's us, you who gets to decide what it's used for, not him. You will control it.' _Azure remembered her future self, Z saying this to her the first and last time they met. But that future had been forever changed. Whoever "Z" will be in the future, she won't be who she had become when Iblis was in the picture. There was no definite answer anymore.

"That's easy for you to say, Sapphire. Water's beautiful and so are you. You're soft and gentle but strong when you need to be. What does lightning say about me?"

Sapphire sat on the edge of the bed and gently placed her hand on Azure's head, patting it. "Well, it says more about you than you realize. Lightning is bright, quick and powerful. And you are each of those things, even if you don't see it yet."

"You really think so?" Azure's eyes widened, hopeful.

"I know so," Sapphire giggled, rubbing her nose against Azure's, earning a delightful giggle from the little dragon. "So tell me more about this Guardian Utilities…"

"Guardian Units of Nations," Azure corrected. "After I joined up, they started training me and I went on a few missions. I, uh, got partnered up with their best agent, Shadow the Hedgehog and we kinda helped save the world," Azure said, lowering her voice into a soft whisper while she moved her eyes away from Sapphire's bright ones.

"Ah…" Sapphire said, a smile growing on her face. "And would you happen to have, oh I don't know, a crush on this Shadow?"

"Maybe… W-why do you say that?" Azure giggled, blushing.

"Oh, nothing. Just the way your eyes lit up and cheeks turned a bright red the minute you mentioned his name. So? Does he like you back?"

"Um… well the thing is, Shadow's not that kind of person. I think he got hurt in the past real bad and he's just been too scared to open up again. B-but I'm ok with that! I just like being around him," she smiled.

"Do you think he'll come after you when he notices you're gone?"

"No… Shadow's far too busy to worry about where I've gone. And we've only been working together for about a month. I don't think he considers me enough of a friend to try and find me."

"Well, if he cares about you – and who wouldn't – he'll come for you. Do you think he could fight Garnett?" Sapphire asked, in a nervous whisper.

"I've seen Shadow take on a time god. But even that god had a weakness, and Garnett has none. I couldn't bear the thought of Shadow getting hurt because of Garnet… because of me."

"Listen to me, none of this is your fault. You are not responsible for the actions of others," Sapphire said, gripping Azure's hand on hers while she nodded in response. "Now I'm going to get you some soup and if we're lucky, nobody else will have to get hurt because of Garnett's stupid prophecy."

* * *

Umber stumbled over his feet and fell against the wall of one of the buildings. He carefully slid down the wall, his back against it, and groaned as he hit the ground. He gently placed his hand against his chest, trying to steady his uneven breathing before he violently coughed up a few droplets of blood in his hand. He hung his head back and his heavy eyelids shut as rest finally greeted him. His entire body felt incredibly sore, almost as if he had fallen down the side of a mountain. Although, now that he thought about it, falling down the side of a mountain would feel more like swimming in a pool filled with soft pillows.

"Umber! There you are-What happened to you?" his eyes snapped open when he heard a familiar female voice and saw a rusty gold and white furred feline with auburn hair running towards him.

"Argh, Raph… What is it?" he groaned, pushing himself up from the wall.

"Ancestors, Umber, did he do this to you again?" Raph asked, bending over to tend to him. "Lobo, get over here!" she shouted to a dark brown wolf in a teal jacket with a robotic ear and arm.

"I can't believe you let him do this to you, Umber," Lobo spat as he grabbed Umber's arm and wrapped it around his own shoulder before securing his other arm around Umber's waist, supporting his friend. "We have to do something about him!"

"No, we don't!" Umber argued.

"How can you say that? I've seen him do things to you but nothing this bad," Raph exclaimed as she glided her hand along Umber's body, healing his wounds with her magic as he stripes and spots lit up as she moved.

"Garnett needs to be stopped. He's no leader; he's a tyrant!" Lobo hissed with anger.

"Keep your voice down! Get Garnett mad and he'll start hurting people. I won't let anyone else get hurt," he sighed in a heavy breath.

"You're getting hurt, Umber! Please, we have to do something about him! I can't stand seeing you like this," Raph whispered, on the verge of tears. She gently placed her hand on Umber's check, caressing it. Umber lifted his hand to cup hers, rubbing his thumb in circles against the back of her glove.

"Better me than Azure. I can take it. I have to take it for her," Umber replied.

"What if one of these days you can't anymore? You're not indestructible! Something has to be done about him, Umber! He can't treat his people like this!" argued Lobo.

"No!" Umber protested. "Need I remind you what happened to your father and my sister, two of them now, in fact? Every person that has gone up against him has come back a sad and broken shell of what they used to be. Anubis… Shamrock. I'll sooner let the Ancestors take me before I let Azure share that fate."

"You can't keep this up forever, Umber," said Raph.

"I can try."

"Ugh, you're impossible! I've healed all that I could, but I'll send Joan over when I get back. She was always better at healing than I was. Lobo, could you get Umber home. I need to, uh, be somewhere right now."

"Sure thing, Raph. Come on, Umber," said Lobo, nodding at Raph while lifting Umber up and helping him walk. "You know you'd make a better leader, right?"

"Lobo, I don't want to hear it. Besides, I'm no leader."

"Well Raph and I would disagree with you on that. We're not the only ones who think you should be in charge you know. A lot of us would see you as our Chief than Garnett."

"You can't beat birthright, Lobo. And that's easy for you to say. You're the firstborn. Some day, you're gonna be the head of your family…" They walked in silence for a few more steps. "I'm sorry about what I said about Anubis. I didn't mean it."

"It's ok. And you're right. Dad just hasn't been the same since. He never talks about it with any of us. I can't imagine what it's like to slowly lose your own powers. He just spends all his time focused on us now."

"Anubis is a good man, powers or none."

"Thanks. And for what it's worth, he thinks you'd make a better leader too."

"You know that's not our way. First born son of Mythos bloodline is Chief by birthright. The only way to change that is if Garnett abdicates or dies. He's immortal so that second option is out and I don't see him willingly abdicating anytime soon," Umber replied.

"Well, since the Purge, it's been our way to stay down here and two people have already broken that law. If I recall, they were both of Mythos bloodline. Seems like you Mythos' have a habit of breaking your own rules," Lobo said with a laugh.

"Heh, yeah. We do. But I have a feeling that this is one tradition that won't be changing. What exactly did Raph need to do? If it's not you, she'll be the one to carry me back home and tend to me like a little wounded woodland creature."

"I'm not sure. She's been disappearing a lot lately. Must be something important; she is the head of her family after all."

* * *

**Anubis is Lobo's father and the first person to stand up against Garnett. The resulting fight left Anubis' body severely burned and much of his body had to be replaced with cybernetics. As a result, his powers eventually faded away because one's powers are drawn from within - as in his organic self - and he was only a little bit of himself left.**

**Joan is Raphaella's younger sister. Also a spellcaster, she is an expert in healing arts.**

**Lobo is Umber's best friend and Anubis' son.**

**Raphaella is Umber's girlfriend of the House of Arch, the spellcasters.**

**All is not well in the Mythsetia Veil. Their people are ruled by a ruthless tyrant who is not shy about punishing his own siblings. However, there may be a plot to depose him both inside and outside the Veil.**

**That quote from Z is from Chapter 19 of Whitewash.**

**Next Chapter - Memories of the Past: Azreal remembers the last few moments with Adalinda, the love of his life, and the secret between them he has been harboring for years.**

**You won't want to miss the next chapter. Believe me ;)**


	7. Memories of the Past

**I could just not wait to write this, so here is the next chapter and I'm certain you guys will love it. Learn Azreal's greatest secret!**

**Recap: Garnett caught up to Azure just like he said he would and takes her back to the Veil by force while also punishing her for escaping. Their brother Umber steps in to take the beating while the Mythsetians appear to be conspiring to replace Garnett with someone they feel is a better leader, Umber. Meanwhile, Shadow and Azreal are nearing the Veil, but if they are to succeed in their mission, there must be no doubt between them. In hopes of achieving this, Azreal shares his greatest secret with Shadow.**

**WARNING: This chapter contains mildly suggestive sexual themes.**

* * *

_Azreal chose the Mystic Ruins as the place he would settle specifically because it was so isolated from the nearby towns. This move made sense to him. He was the first of his people to actually return to the surface after their ancestors barely survived genocide and there was no telling how surfacers viewed them now. To his pleasant surprise and equal dismay, he found that his people were long forgotten and remained largely anonymous today. But even so, he still preferred his privacy. He didn't want to get too close to anyone… the memories of leaving her behind still so fresh even after all these years. _

_So one could imagine his surprise when he heard knocking at his door. _

_Azreal never had visitors. Ever. The only time he ever even left the Mystic Ruins was to go into town for supplies. But nobody knew him well enough to consider him enough of a friend to pay him a visit. So who would be coming to see him now?_

"_Linny?" Azreal gasped as his jaw dropped. When he opened the door, the last person he expected to see on the other side was the green-eyed, violet haired beauty that from the moment he left her behind, had been plaguing his every dream and waking moment. "Is it really you? A-are you really here?" he asked, shakily releasing the breath he wasn't aware he was holding. Every thought in his mind began trying to convince him that this was just another dream about her… tormenting him with visions of her and the truth that he could never have her and that it was he who abandoned her in the end._

"_Of course it's me, Azreal," she said, her voice like music to his ears. It had been twenty years since her sweet voice touched his ears. But now, after being lost in a barren desert void of her every essence, he had finally found his lush oasis. "May I come in?" she asked, her voice as tender and soft as he remembered it was twenty years ago._

"_Y-yes!" he answered like an eager schoolboy standing in front of his first crush. "Please, come in," he cleared his throat, recomposing himself and moving aside to let her in. She curtly nodded her head and walked in, her eyes scanning the interior and taking in the contents of his small home. Azreal suddenly became overwhelmingly self-conscious. What if she didn't like his home? Would she leave? He certainly didn't want that. If only he had known she was coming, he could have done something to spruce up the place. Tidy it up at the very least._

"_Make yourself at home. I apologize, it's a little messy, I know. If I had known you were coming, I would have-"_

"_I like it," she said._

"_Y-you do?" Azreal asked, surprised._

"_It's simple, pleasant and it feels like a home. It's very like you Azreal," she said, turning to him. _

"_Would you like some tea?" he managed to ask without stuttering._

"_Yes, I would like that. Thank you," she said as Azreal ushered her to the small living room just opposite the door. He brought over two teacups and a teapot from the kitchen and set them down on the table while taking the seat opposite to his guest. He poured her cup first and handed it to her before pouring his own. He brought the cup to his face, feeling the steam on his skin but stopped just as the cup touched his lips. He looked up at Linny just to see her lightly blow the tea before taking a small sip as her eyes shut lightly. Azreal eagerly waited for her to open her eyes again so he could see her reaction to his tea._

_When he could wait no longer, "Do you like it?" he asked._

_She opened her eyes and looked at him surprised. "Yes!" she answered. "It's very sweet, almost fruity. What's it called?"_

"_Oolong. It's from Yurashia, one of the surface continents, and translated it means 'black dragon tea.' This is actually just one of the kinds I have. I'm growing different types of oolong in my yard in the back."_

"_You always did love your tea."_

"_Adalinda," he started, using her full name, something he only made a habit of when he was being serious, "please do not take this as me not being glad that you are here in front of me, but what are you doing here?"_

"_I came to see you of course," she answered with a smile._

"_That much is evident," he chuckled, "but I mean, how did you-"_

"_Slip away without alerting anyone, especially Hydra?" she finished his sentence._

"_Well, yes."_

"_Esmeralda," she answered._

"_Of course, Esmeralda," he repeated. "But why have you come?"_

"_Are you not happy to see me?" she asked, feigning hurt._

"_Linny, nothing would make me happier than you being here with me," he said, leaning forward and placing his hand on hers. He smiled to himself when he felt her hand relax into his and squeeze back. He felt a cool metal against his scales and moved his eyes to see a ring around her finger. "You're married…" he muttered sadly._

"_Is that so much of a surprise to you?"_

"_It shouldn't be, but I suppose a part of me was just silently wishing for the impossible. Hydra is the chief after all. He gets to choose his bride, whether she be willing or not."_

"_It is our way. Tradition is not easy to break when it has become strong over the course of several centuries. Do not plague yourself with what you feel you could have done. The past is the past; what's done is done," she whispered tenderly, caressing his hand on hers._

"_I know. I just wish I could have done things differently…" Azreal's fingers lightly traced over the scar that marked the left side of his face and over his lip._

"_Azreal, you know you wouldn't have wanted Hydra's blood on your hands! Even if he was not the most virtuous of leaders, he was still your brother," she consoled, brushing her fingers along the scar. "I wish you had taken me with you," she added._

"_As do I, but we both know he would have hunted us down and seen me executed. At least this way, we are both still alive, even if you are bound to another," he said sadly, his eyes falling to the ring._

"_I may be legally bound to him as his wife, but you and I both know that the bond never dies once it has been made," she said, reaching her hand up to caress his cheek now. _

"_No… it doesn't," he whispered, slowly leaning across the table and bringing his face closer to hers when suddenly…_

"_Chao chao!" Azreal and Adalinda both jumped back and sank into either couch as a white and red chao burst in between them. _

"_June!" Azreal scolded._

"_My goodness!" she exclaimed. "Azreal, who is this now?"_

"_I'm sorry about that Linny. This is June. She's what the surfacers call a 'Chao'," he explained as June hovered over to Adalinda with a big smile while examining the woman._

"_A chao?" _

"_It's some sort of pet. I've heard that chaos take on the physical traits of their owners," Azreal added._

"_Well that much I can see," she replied, nothing June's crimson skin, horns and wings and the scales along it's arms and feet. "She is very adorable," she cooed, earning a delighted chirp from June, who nuzzled under Adalinda's petting hand. "I am glad you aren't out here all on your own, Azreal."_

"_At first that was what I wanted, but I am glad too."_

"_I confess, part of me was worried that I'd find you with someone else… that you would have moved on," she said with a sad smile._

"_Linny, nobody could ever compare to you."_

"_You should know that I have children now," Adalinda said as the mood suddenly became serious and the room silent._

"_I always did see you as a mother," Azreal answered after an initial hesitation. "How many?"_

"_Eight."_

"_Eight?" he cried, nearly choking on his own spit. "I suppose you and Hydra were busy then?"_

"_I'd rather we not discuss that, wouldn't you?"_

"_Yes, you're right. The last thing I want to hear about is my brother's sexual performance. I desperately do not need the mental images of him with the woman I love."_

"_The woman you love?" she asked hopeful._

"_Uh… so tell me about your children. What are their names?" Azreal asked, changing the subject._

"_Oh, well first there is Garnett, then Umber, after him is our first daughter Sapphire, then Payne, and then Sepia, next is our second daughter Shamrock, then Ghost and finally Pine. So, two girls and six boys. Sapphire and Shamrock are just so beautiful. Umber's the little loner of the group, Sepia's the hardhead and Payne's always following after Garnett. Garnett's such a sweetie, always making sure everyone shared their toys or got the exact same amount of juice. What?" she asked, when she saw Azreal chuckle._

"_It's nothing. It's just… the way you talk about them is just so… You're a great mother."_

"_For the record, I think you would have made a great father. Azreal, what you said earlier, did you still mean-"_

"_Perhaps we should continue this __**in private**__," he emphasized that last part, shooting a glance at June. "Would you follow me to my room?" he asked, standing up and holding out his hand to her._

"_Certainly," she answered, "lead the way." She placed her hand in his and followed as he pulled her into another room and shut the door behind them. "Azreal I-" She was immediately cut off when Azreal pushed her against the door and covered her mouth with his own. Before she could compose any form of reaction, he pulled away._

"_I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. You're married to my brother; we can't be together. But here we are twenty years later and I am still as hopelessly and desperately in love with you as when I first realized you were the one for me."_

"_Azreal…"_

"_Linny, my feelings for you have never changed. Sister-in-law or not. Every moment of my life – awake or asleep – since I left you behind has been plagued by you. Every tiny little thing reminds me of you, the way your voice rang like soft music, the way your eyes sparkled, the way your touch felt against mine…" he whispered, his voice growing deep and husky._

"_Shh," she placed her index finger on his lip to keep him from talking further, "I've missed you so much Azreal. Even if I am married to Hydra, I still love you. I've only loved you," she whispered tenderly with a smile._

"_And that is music to my ears," he said with a smile, lifting her up into his arms_ _and pulling her closer to him so as to close the space that dared separate them._

* * *

Azreal stood at the edge of the cliff, as water from the ocean below crashed against the rocky cliff edge and the mist sprayed his face. He reached his fingers to the blue scarf tied around his neck, her scent still buried deep within the fabric even after all these years.

"What is this?" Azreal was brought out of his daydream by Shadow's question. "You said that you were taking us to the Veil. Where is it?" he asked in accusation.

"Fear not, Shadow, the Mythsetia Veil is there," Azreal said, pointing off into the distance at a large shrouded fog that densely covered the horizon.

"There is no land there, only fog," Shadow replied.

"But you only see no land. Make no mistake, the Mythsetia Veil lies beyond that fog. The fog is the result of a spell countermeasure that existed to protect the island. Navigation through it is nearly impossible, which is why the island remains largely undiscovered even to this day."

"So how exactly are we supposed to get there when we can't navigate through it?"

"The fog is a result of magic, therefore it can be dispelled with magic. Only a house seal can dispel the fog to allow comers and goers."

"Do you have a house seal?"

"I do not. House seals are only in the hands of each family's respective house head. Its significance is to mark a specific family's leader, but it also has many practical functions."

"That still leaves us nowhere. You've told me about the fog and how to get around it, but you lack the means to do so," Shadow said, glaring at Azreal.

"Haha, I do not require a seal to get through the fog. When I first left the Veil, I spent three days just trying to get through the fog and off the island. I know my way through that fog."

"And I suppose you have the means to get there as well?"

"Indeed, I do," Azreal replied. He set his cane on the ground and removed his jacket, revealing the large wings against his back and clipped on his shoulders like a cape. He stretched them open before flapping them once in a test. "I recommend Omega remains here. Though his assistance would be welcome, I cannot guarantee Omega will make it through the fog safely. The fog as a way of separating traveling parties."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Have it your way, Shadow. I simply do not wish to see one of Azure's friends become lost in an endless fog over a vast ocean, which short circuits robotics. I cannot carry you and hold his hand to guide him at the same time. I am merely looking out for your friend's safety. He can remain here as back up, if you like."

"…Fine. Wait here, Omega," Shadow said.

"Affirmative," Omega answered.

"June, stay with Omega and keep him some company, will you?" The chao responded in delight and sat on Omega's shoulder.

"Excellent, let us be off then," Azreal flapped his wings, lifting himself into the air before grabbing Shadow and lifting the hedgehog up with him. Shadow was startled at first but relaxed once Azreal glided across the ocean towards the thick fog. "We're entering the fog," he said as the thick haze quickly surrounded them.

"This fog is so thick, how can you even see?" Shadow asked.

"When you are flying, you do not always have to rely on your sight. That was the first mistake I made when I was trying to get through the fog on my first try. You have to feel the wind and let it guide you," Azreal replied, lightly shutting his eyes before gliding side to side through the fog before they finally broke through and came to land. Azreal landed on the edge of the cliff that greeted them and set Shadow on the ground. "See? That wasn't so bad. It would have been easier if we had a seal to dispel the fog for us, but we're both still in one piece."

"Where do we find Azure?" Shadow asked.

"The site of our ancestral settlement is just beyond the forest near the central mountain. The entrance to the underground catacombs is there."

"Let's move."

"Wait," Azreal started, causing Shadow to stop and turn to face him.

"What?" asked Shadow, growing impatient.

"For us to even have a chance at succeeding, there needs to be no doubt between us, Shadow. And I sense that you do not fully trust me."

"You would be correct."

"As of now, it seems your trust in me is based solely on my relation to Azure."

"You have given me no other reason to trust you. You didn't exactly seem so eager to rescue her when she needed you. What is that supposed to tell me about your relationship? That when she needs you, you won't be there?"

"I will always be there for her. Azure means more to me than you could ever imagine. Do not doubt that," Azreal narrowed his eyes in a glare. "Shadow, if you are to trust me, you will need to know something about me that nobody else knows. Otherwise your judgment of me will always be clouded and we cannot hope to embark on this rescue mission with that doubt. My relationship with Azure is far more complicated than you think."

"And what is this secret of yours?" asked Shadow, his eyebrow cocked in confusion.

"You recall how I told you how I came to leave this place, yes?"

"The love of your life was engaged to your brother," Shadow answered.

"And I could not fight my brother and kill him to be with her. I would not have his blood on my hands. Twenty years after I left, Adalinda came to see me; this was before Azure was born. How she tracked me down, I'll never know, but she was always resourceful. Old feelings came up and… We were intimate that night. She was gone by the morning and left me a note telling me how despite how much she loved me, she could not leave Hydra and had to return to the Veil. I never thought I'd see her again, until…"

* * *

"_Linny," Azreal exhaled, opening his front door for her again as he had done so over half a year ago. She looked largely the same, except for the large, round belly that told him only one thing. "You're with child," he said, letting her into his home a second time._

"_Yes. Oh, my hair tie. I must have forgotten it here," she said with a smile, seeing the blue fabric tied around his neck like a scarf._

"_Oh, yes. You can have if back if you'd like," he said, reaching up to take the scarf off._

"_No, no" she said, putting her hands on his arms to stop him. "Keep it, it looks good on you." Azreal led her to the couch to sit and once again, offered her a cup of tea._

"_So I take it this is child number nine?"_

"_Yes, it's going to be a girl. I was going to name her Azure."_

"_Azure?" Azreal asked, his fingers reaching up to the blue scarf that was the same color. "An interesting choice. I suppose Hydra will no doubt be pleased with a third daughter."_

"_That's why I came here, Azreal. Th-there is a good chance that Hydra is not the father…"_

_Azreal stared at her wide-eyed. "Wh-what? Y-you mean I-"_

"_After I was with you, when I got back to the Veil, I was with Hydra. I didn't find out until about a week later and by then… it was too close to really be sure if it was him or you."_

_Azreal moved to sit next to her, and placed his hand gently over his round belly, feeling the baby inside give a small, but forceful kick. "Sh-she could be mine?" he asked, hopeful. Azreal could not fight back the tears that threatened to escape form his eyes. He had always wanted a family and he had always wanted it to be with Adalinda, but that dream died long ago when Hydra chose her to be his bride. But now, after twenty years on his own with now children of his own, here sitting before him was the woman he never stopped loving, her belly round with the child inside that could very well have come from him._

"_I-it's possible. I can't be certain," she said, casting her eyes down to the floor as her ears drooped. "But, I thought you should at least know." Azreal could see the confusion and fear on Adalinda's face. It pained him to see her like this. Was she expecting him to be angry with her? She should have known him better than that. This was undoubtedly the happiest moment of his life!_

_Azreal lifted her face to meet his with his fingers. He lightly brushed his thumb across her cheek and closed the space between them, placing his lips against hers. His feelings burst forth, but his mouth suddenly felt so full he was incapable of speaking, so instead, he decided to show her just what he was feeling._

* * *

"Azure is your daughter?" Shadow asked.

"Possibly. Linny was with me and then my brother. The times were too close together to be sure. Linny swore me to secrecy and I swore to her that I would be there for her children, all of them; she and I were the only ones who knew this. She couldn't tell anyone else. After all, how would it look: the wife of the chief pregnant with her brother-in-law's child? It would have been a scandal. Hydra would have been furious. He would have come after me after he killed Azure."

"Does she know?"

"No. Azure knows me only as her kindly uncle Azreal. And that is all she will know me as."

"You know that you can find out for sure? It's only the matter of a simple DNA test. We could get the results within 24 hours."

"But would finding out for sure really matter, Shadow? I already see her as my own child, whether she really is mine or if she is Hydra's. Call it what you will Shadow, but perhaps I am merely content living with the thought of the possibility rather than finding out for certain if she is mine or not. Sometimes, people are happy living in their fantasy world and do not want to learn a truth that risks shattering that fantasy."

"So you're content with never knowing whether Azure is really your daughter?"

"The way I see it, it won't change my relationship with her, but it has every possibility of greatly changing how she views me, whether for the better or for the worse. Can I trust you to be discreet about this, Shadow?"

"You would trust me with this secret?"

"You've given me no reason not to trust you. Azure trusts you and that is good enough for me. Shadow, I revealed this secret to you so that you could better understand my relationship with Azure and so that you could hopefully no longer doubt me and my intentions. Shadow, the information you now know has the potential to either destroy my relationship with Azure or strengthen it. What you choose to do with this knowledge is up to you. If you believe Azure has a right to know this, I will not hold it against you."

"You would place the fate of your relationship with her in my hands?" Shadow asked.

"Because I trust that you will do what you think is right for her. Is that not what we both want? Do you trust me now?" Azreal asked, though Shadow remained silent. "Azure said you were like this, so I will interpret your silence as a 'yes' unless you give me a reason to think otherwise." Shadow said nothing again. "Very well then. Let's move on. There is something in our old settlement that may interest you."

* * *

**Well? How was that my dear readers? Hope you enjoyed the chapter because I loved writing it. I actually think the pairing of Azreal and Adalinda has become one of my most favorite ones. Not sure what it is about it. But I just love their chemistry and the tragic conclusion of their romance.**

**Next Chapter - Secret Meetings: The house heads meet to discuss the Veil's biggest problem: Garnett.**

**~ZP**


	8. Secret Meetings

**I figured it's been long enough of a wait since my major plot twist, so here's the next chapter! I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog, only my characters.**

**Please do not ask me if some specific event is going to happen in subsequent chapters. It's annoying, a waste of my time and it's completely pointless to ask for spoilers. That defeats the whole purpose of the story!**

* * *

"You can't keep this up Umber. It's killing my sister to see you like this," Joan said, waving her hand over Umber's arm as a faint blue aura surrounded it. "You might be tough, but you're not indestructible."

"Somebody has to be here," he answered.

"And how many more times do you think I can fix something he's broken?"

"As many as it takes, just as long as what happened to Anubis and my sisters doesn't happen to anyone else again!" Umber protested.

"Even if it ends up happening to you?"

Umber gritted his teeth, holding back his tongue before calmly sighing. "Better me than anyone else," he said, releasing a tense breath of air as he leaned back into his bed once Joan finished her healing.

"You realize it's that way of thinking that makes everyone else around here prefer you as leader? You're willing to put yourself in harm's way to protect everyone else."

"You sound just like Raph," he muttered.

"I think Raph wants to see you as leader more than anybody else. And with the way she describes you, it doesn't come to any surprise."

Umber's head suddenly snapped as she glanced towards Joan. "Joan… What is Raphaella planning?"

"Wh-what makes you say that?" Joan asked, flustered.

"I know Raph, she doesn't do anything without thinking it through and coming up with some intricate plan. That's why she's the lead Archivist! And do you honestly expect me to not notice how often she disappears? Where does she go and what is she up to?"

"Uh… I can't tell you! I've said too much already!" Joan wailed.

Before Umber could question her further and vehemently demand an answer from the young healer, a loud, pained shriek echoed through the walls of Umber's home. "That came from outside… It sounded like…"

"Ren!" Joan cried, her eyes widening in worry, dashing off as Umber slowly pushed himself out of his bed, groaning as he did. Though Joan had healed his wounds, he was still exhausted and incredibly sore, forcing him to carefully limp and lean on the walls for support so as to not aggravate his muscles further. Once he made it outside, he saw everyone gathered around a nine-tailed fox hunched on the ground, his hand clutching his right eye as he shook with pain and let out strained breaths. By the time Umber got close enough, Garnett had already made his way towards the commotion.

"What did you see, boy?" he snarled.

Ren groaned, his body shaking uncontrollably from the shock the vision had caused him before turning to Garnett, the crest of his family marked firmly on his eye in place of his right pupil. "I…I…" he panted.

"Spit it out, boy!" Garnett spat, reaching down and grasping the collar of Ren's shirt and lifting him off the ground.

"Ren! Please, chief Garnett, the visions cause him pain. He needs to rest!" Another nine-tailed fox intervened, but dared not to even lay her hand on Garnett, hoping that her pleading would be enough.

"In a moment, Inari, once your brother tells me what the Eye has shown him," Garnett said, turning his gaze from Inari to Ren.

"Th-the skies w-were dark…th-the earth… shaking. There was a b-bright light that shot into the s-sky. Th-that's all I saw! I swear!" Ren stuttered.

Garnett released his grip on Ren's collar, dropping the boy onto the ground roughly as Inari and Joan rushed to tend to him, his violent shaking only barely dying down. "That's all I needed to hear. Tomorrow night, Mythos' prophecy will finally come true. The Mythsetians will retake our place as the rightful rulers of this world, just as my ancestor intended!"

* * *

"Things are not looking good. Ever since Garnett returned with Azure, he has been far more on edge and paranoid. To make matters worse, Ren's vision of Garnett's supposed prophecy leaves us little time to rectify this tyranny. If we are to do something, we will need to do it soon," Esmeralda said as Raphaella and Anubis sat next to her in a small room illuminated by a single light over them.

"With Ren's vision, Garnett is only going to grow more agitated. He'll be looking for anything out place. If we move to challenge Garnett's authority now, it will only end badly for many of us. I am proof of that outcome," Anubis said, hanging his head.

"Anubis, you can't keep blaming yourself for that. You were the first to stand up to him and that was more than any of us could do!" Raphaella protested, resting her hand gently on the cool metal of his shoulder.

"But in the end it amounted to nothing! The time for Garnett's supposed prophecy is drawing near and there's no telling what sort of damage it will cause to the surface and us. All we resort to now is secret meetings to conspire against him rather than taking a direct approach. We cannot even afford to meet with the other house heads at once. That is fracturing our plans," said Anubis.

"Garnett has become more vigilant since Azure escaped. We could only manage to get as much done as we did while he was absent. Azure's escape helped us in more ways than one. But the risk is too great now. What were to happen if Garnett notices that every house head is simultaneously missing?" asked Raphaella.

"Indeed. With Garnett, the direct approach is one I would not recommend. He is far too powerful to face head on. If we are to succeed in deposing Garnett, we must rally everyone against him. With his own people turning their backs on him, Garnett would sooner step down than eradicate his own," said Esmeralda.

"But can we be so sure of that? Garnett values his authority and power above all else. Who's to say that he'd rather see us wiped out than be ruled by someone else? Everyone already wants him gone, it's just a matter of giving them the courage to act!" Raphaella said.

"And then there comes the issue of his replacement…" started Anubis. "Should we succeed in removing him from the seat of power, who is to take his place?"

"I nominate Umber!" Raphaella quickly interjected.

"That is unsurprising," commented Esmeralda with a light chuckle.

"It's not like that! By succession as the second born of the House of Mythos, position of chief immediately falls to Umber. And he's brave, cunning and always willing to put himself in harm's way to protect us. You saw the way he offered himself up as Azure's scapegoat! He'd sooner bring harm upon himself than anyone else if he can help it."

"I agree. Umber is the prime candidate for our leader. However, the boy shows no signs of interest in leading whatsoever. Each time major responsibility is cast on his shoulders, he shirks it, remarking that he is not good enough and will fail the task. And we have already seen enough evidence that Umber may not even be capable of rising against Garnett. Umber has become far too submissive to him. How can we expect Umber to take Garnett's place if Umber will only submit to his brother's will?" asked Anubis.

"Anubis is right. For his many virtues, we cannot force the responsibility of being a leader on one who will not have it. If Umber doubts his abilities to lead us and we force him to take up the position, his doubt could affect his judgment for the worse. Are there any other candidates we have not yet considered?" asked Esmeralda.

"Perhaps, Azreal?"

"Azreal? Are you certain, Anubis? We have neither seen nor heard from him since his banishment thirty six years ago," asked Esmeralda.

"Yes, but Azure confirms that Azreal is alive! She was with him when she was on the surface," added Raphaella.

"Even so, the line of succession has already passed Azreal's generation when Garnett succeeded Hydra. And that is not the only issue. Azreal has been banished, he cannot even be considered a proper candidate unless that banishment is revoked by the current chief, which we know Garnett will never do! In addition to that, Azreal has no children of his own and I doubt he would seek companionship with anyone that is not Adalinda. There can be no guarantee of bloodline continuation with Azreal," said Esmeralda.

"Then what about the other Mythos siblings?" asked Raphaella.

"No, they each have their own virtues but lack their own qualities needed to be an effective leader," answered Anubis.

"So that's it then. Umber is our only viable option," said Raphaella.

"Then we must find a way to convince him that he is not only worthy, but the most well suited for the position. A reluctant and doubtful leader is no leader at all. Umber will need to cast off that reluctance and doubt if he is to become our leader," said Esmeralda.

"Let me talk to him. If I can convince him he's the perfect match then this plan might work after all," said Raphaella.

"Make haste, my dear. If Garnett's prophecy is truly to culminate one night from now, then we do not have much time to act," said Esmeralda.

"Or we could talk now," all three heads snapped towards the curtain hanging over the doorway as Umber pushed the fabric aside and entered the room.

"U-Umber? What are you doing here?" Raphaella asked in shock. "How did you know we were here?"

"I wore Joan down until she told me what you've been up to lately," he answered. "I should have known something was up the minute I started noticing the house heads were all preoccupied at the same time. What is wrong with you, with all of you? I mean no disrespect to you as house heads, but you're all treading a dangerous path now. I know what'll happen if Garnett finds out you've all been plotting against him and I won't allow it to happen, even if it means I have to squash this resistance movement myself."

"But Umber we-"

"Now, now Raphaella. Umber has made his point. He worries for our safety, the safety of his people. He wishes to protect everyone from the wrath of a powerful, internal threat. An excellent quality in a leader if you ask me," Esmeralda said.

"Oh not this again. And for the record, I didn't ask!"

"Why are you so resistant to the idea of being the chief, Umber? Surely you must see your merits make you far more suited for the role than your brother?" asked Anubis.

"Because being a leader requires more than just looking out for others. There's all the responsibility! Everyone looking to you, watching you and judging you as you make every little decision. Every choice you make could go great or wind up horribly wrong! And when something goes bad, who do you think they'll be pointing their fingers to? I-I just can't handle that kind of pressure!" Umber rambled, heavily panting out of breath.

"Umber, I have seen the merits of you as leader. In the future I've seen, you are a virtuous and decisive ruler. Our people flourish as they never have before since the Purge," Esmeralda said.

"But the future is always subject to change! You taught us that! And your vision is only another legacy that I cannot live up to."

"Umber, we've thought this through carefully," started Raphaella.

"Have you? Have you really? Have you considered what Garnett would do to the three of you – to all of us – if he found out what you've been plotting behind his back? If I can stop him from hurting you, then I'll do whatever it takes, even if it means shutting down this stupid resistance," Umber said, lightly gripping Raphaella's arms as he spoke while gazing into her eyes with a look of possessiveness and worry.

"But Umber-"

"No! No more secret meetings and no more plotting against Garnett. End of discussion!" Umber declared, exiting the room.

"What comes now?" Anubis asked.

"I cannot say for sure. I have tried to glimpse the coming days with the Shew Stone, but each time, the vision is foggy and I cannot make out the images clearly. It seems only the Eye can glimpse through this fog into tomorrow and Ren is still barely managing to deal with the pain of his vision. He can barely describe what he sees let alone comprehend the Eye," Esmeralda answered.

"I suppose I shall inform Kabuto, Alexander and Caudata of this… change then," said Anubis.

"What do we do now?" asked Raphaella.

"There is nothing we can do. We cannot force Umber into a position that he does not want. All we can do now is wait, until he is ready for his destiny," said Esmeralda, gently putting a reassuring hand on Raphaella's shoulder.

"But we can't wait! The prophecy is going to happen tomorrow night! If the events of today continue into tomorrow then that'll be the end! Garnett will never relinquish control willingly and when he succeeds, he'll be too powerful to depose by force!" cried Raphaella, her eyes wide with worry.

"Perhaps…"

"Perhaps?" Raphaella asked, cocking her eyebrow in confusion.

"If the events of today continue into tomorrow, Garnett's prophecy will come to fruition," Esmeralda said, walking over to a basin of water. "But, if something were interrupt the events," she said, dropping a small pebble into the water, "then the effects of that action will ripple and perhaps alter what is to come tomorrow night."

* * *

**Characters:  
Anubis - Head of the House of Galen, Lobo's father  
Esmeralda - Head of the House of Divinus, Inari and Ren's grandmother  
Raphaella - Head of the House of Arch, Umber's girlfriend  
Inari - illusionist, House of Divinus, Ren's older sister  
Ren - illusionist/seer, House of Divinus, holder of the Prophet's Eye  
Joan - healer, House of Arch, Raphaella's younger sister  
Kabuto - Head of the House of Tilasm  
Alexander - Head of the House of Psyche  
Caudata - Head of the House of Mestaclocan  
**

**Next Chapter - Shadow and Azreal investigate the ruins of the Mythsetia Veil's old settlement before entering a secret tunnel that will lead them into the underground catacombs.**


	9. A Hidden Tunnel

**Please enjoy this chapter. The more I write the next chapter of Hostile Encounters, the more I realize that this story will be coming to a wrap very soon. It will no doubt be way shorter than Whitewash, but I still hope you guys enjoy it.**

**Recap: Umber shuts down a resistance movement to depose Garnett for fear of the safety of everyone else while Shadow and Azreal arrive on the Veil island.**

* * *

"What is it you wanted to show me?" Shadow asked, following Azreal through the dense forestry of the island, pushing aside the long, sharp blades of grass that got in his way. Despite how thick and overgrown the plant life was, the island was completely void of even the slightest murmur of fauna.

"This," Azreal answered, slicing away the overgrown plant life with the concealed blade in his cane, revealing a large open field with old and worn out stone tiles that marked the remnants of old pathways and structural foundations and the base of the mountain that towered over the center of the entire island. "This was once where the heart of our entire society stood, what you might call our capital city. It is here where my people's cultural foundation lies and it was here where my ancestor founded what was to be our society."

"It doesn't look much like a capital," Shadow commented.

"Mind you, the last time any buildings stood here, they were being bombed to the ground in a genocide. But old scars heal over time. The island's plant life has more than recovered," Azreal responded.

"And have your people?"

"It's too soon to say. I've lived on the surface now for almost 30 years. The world has forgotten us, but that doesn't mean they are ready to accept us back into their society. The risk of genocide is too much to bet on the chance of returning to a world that cast us out in a violent flame. My people may not be ready and your people may not be ready for us, but I think it's high time we stopped hiding underground."

"And is there more you intended to show me other than the site of your ancestral village?" Shadow asked, growing impatient.

"Yes, of course. Come here," he said, stepping into the center of the field and gently brushed the dust off a large inscription carved deep into the tiles. A large circle marked the perimeter of the carvings as its interior was filled with intricate lines and shapes. "This is the Occulus; it was the center of our primary settlement. Mythos himself carved this into the stone when he founded the land and our society."

"What do those symbols mean?" Shadow asked, kneeling next to Azreal and pointing to the symbol in the center of the circle.

"That is the Mythos family crest. The circle there represents the Orb of Mythos," Azreal started.

"Orb of Mythos?"

"It was my ancestor's ancient relic. Each founder of a House had one: Staff of Arch, Arbalest of Galen, Shew Stone of Divinus, Amulet of Tilasm, Shroud of Mestaclocan, Blade of Psyche and the Orb of Mythos."

"What does the Orb do?" Shadow asked.

"Well it's been lost since Mythos himself died, but the legends say that it can give those of Mythos blood great strength and power. If you ask me, with someone like Garnett running around and calling the shots, it's better off staying lost."

"Agreed. What about the rest of it?"

"The two swirls underneath? Now if I remember the stories correctly, they represented Mythos himself. It was said that the only ones capable of using the Orb properly were Mythos and those bearing his mark. But that's probably just a rumor intended to deter those from even looking for the Orb. Why bother searching for it when you are incapable of using it?"

"Lots of reasons: money, thrill of the adventure, credit for the discovery," Shadow answered.

"I never pegged you for a treasure hunter, Shadow," Azreal chuckled.

"I'm not, but one of my friends has an obsession with jewels and rare objects. She doesn't care if she can't use them or not, as long as they're in some old abandoned ruins littered with traps or an impenetrable vault and are very pretty and shiny."

"Ah, Rouge. Azure has told me about her as well. From what I gather, her encounter with Rouge has been less than pleasant. The other symbols along the outer circle are another extension of representing Mythos. Each one represents one of the nine elements he controlled: darkness, water, wind, earth, wood, light, ice, lightning and fire," Azreal said, lightly tapping the tip of his cane on each symbol as he spoke, hesitating before identifying and placing his cane on the last symbol for fire.

"Why would Mythos carve this here?" Shadow asked.

"Why does anyone leave their mark on anything? To point at it and say, 'that is mine.'"

"But it seems so unorthodox. Why here and why these symbols? Why is this the only thing left intact? Wait, look at this, along the edge of the circle, there's some sort of writing," Shadow said, reaching down to point at the writing he spotted.

"Yes, I didn't see those..." said Azreal, peering down at the words next to Shadow.

"Do you know what they say?"

"I haven't a clue. Our dialect has changed considerably over time, even more so after we lost so much of our culture in the Purge. My best guess is that this was the first variation of our ancestral language from which our current dialect is based, which is actually not that different from the English language. Some of the characters look familiar, but I can't make out a translation for certain. Well now, this is most curious..." Azreal whispered, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion while his eyes squinted in focus.

"What?"

"Look at the lines here in the circle, do you see how they form the shape of two diamonds, one on top of another?" Azreal asked, tracing the lines with his index finger.

Shadow stood up and stepped back to view the carvings as a whole. He squinted his eyes and barely made out the shapes Azreal pointed out. "Just barely. Why? What does that mean?"

"If I'm correct, that would be the crest of the House of Bell!"

"House of Bell?"

"They were another family from here, but they were wiped out during the Purge."

"What was their form of magic?" Shadow asked.

"Summoning. The legends say that Bell struck a deal with a demon when death claimed her in her youth. She would be resurrected, but she and all the descendents she would bear would be bound to the demon and it's congregation. Bell and her descendants could summon the demon's servants to this world and they would do the summoner's bidding. But why her crest is on a circle carved by Mythos is beyond my understanding. Perhaps it's just a coincidence that the lines intersected in that manner?"

"Perhaps... What's that over there?" Shadow asked, nudging with his head towards the base of the mountain where a large, slanted stone door was built into the rock.

"That is the entrance to the Catacombs," Azreal replied as the two made their way over to the door. "The doors are made of an indestructible substance found here on the island. Not even your friend Omega would be able to blast through it, though I am certain he would be eager to prove me wrong."

"You said the only way to open the door was with a House seal, wasn't it?"

"Yes, the seal would be placed into this slot here," Azreal said, pointing to a circular slot about the size of his palm on the door. "Any seal would do the trick, but only those of house head authority would have good enough reason for opening the doors. And waiting for someone to open the doors on their own is a waste of time for us."

"So how did you get out without a seal?"

"I found a tunnel that led from the Catacombs to the edge of the island. I almost fell into the ocean when I got to the end. It's on the other side of the island, but I can fly us over," he said, taking off his jacket, unfolding his wings and lifting Shadow into the air. Once they flew past the mountain, they came up over a large cove shaped like a wide, gaping mouth. "That there is what I call the Dragon's Peak, see how the cape looks like a large gaping mouth with the lake as an eye? It's where I came out of the tunnel." Azreal flew down towards the water as the ocean spray below struck them each time the waves clashed against the rocky cliffs. They landed on a small ledge and kept their bodies close to the wall to keep the strong ocean winds from blowing them off into the raging ocean below. "There should be a switch here, if I remember..." Azreal felt around the rocks on the wall before the small boulder Azreal had his hand on sunk into the wall slightly and produced a loud clicking noise. The rocks on the ledge suddenly trembled before a passage opened up next to Azreal. Once they climbed in, the rocks moved again, sealing their way out.

"How far does this tunnel go?" asked Shadow.

"I'm not sure. These tunnels go all across the island in different pathways. I was stuck down here for a week before I finally managed to find my way out, completely by accident," Azreal added, forming a fireball in his hands that immediately lit up the dark tunnel.

"I thought you said you spent three days just trying to get past the fog."

"Oh yes, I spent nearly a week down here, getting lost - and I still don't think I've seen every inch of these tunnels – before I spent three days just trying to get off the island. You have to remember, Shadow, that at the time, I knew of nothing outside the Catacombs. Making my way through a dark, underground maze filled with twists and turns with no way of knowing where I was going and flying outdoors against the currents of the ocean wind weren't exactly common activities in the Catacombs."

"So do you have any idea where you're going?"

"More or less. It has been thirty six years after all," Azreal said, leading them through the tunnels for what felt like hours, turning corners here and there, each part of the maze looking just as much as the last.

"Wait, did you hear that?" Shadow asked.

"Hear what? I didn't hear anything…" Azreal said, turning to Shadow in confusion.

"Sh… something's coming," Shadow said, pulling Azreal around the corner and smothering the flame that lit the tunnels. Heavy footsteps echoed through the rocky walls as a red beam of light suddenly shot through the tunnels. "What is that?"

"I'm not sure, it could be something the Galen's came up with. We'll have to be careful," said Azreal.

"I know someone's down here. Show yourself! This is private property and you are trespassing!" a voice bellowed out.

"Wait, that's-" Azreal started when Shadow suddenly jumped out from their hiding spot and charged towards their hunter with a Chaos Spear in hand. "Shadow, wait, stop!" Azreal cried, reaching out with his hand to stop the hedgehog, but he was already far too out of reach.

Just as Shadow jumped to tackle and impale the hunter, it turned around, swiftly grasping Shadow around the throat and roughly pushing him up against the wall. It raised it's other arm that extended and shot out, it's hand wrapping firmly around Azreal's throat before retracting, bringing Azreal with it and slamming him against the wall as well. "I don't know who you are or what business you have here but you two have made a big mistake coming here! This is private property and we do not take kindly to trespassers," the voice deep and masculine, threatened as cool, metal claws pressed firmly into their skin.

"Put us down or you'll regret it!" Shadow cursed under his breath, his breathing being cut off by their attacker.

"And you will regret coming where you should have stayed away. Hn, so you are what passes for a surface dweller? What name shall I carve on your tombstone?" Shadow could feel the angry breath of their captor on his skin.

"My name is Shadow," he answered, determined to show he was not intimidated.

"Shadow… how unconventional. And your friend is… wha? Azreal?" The claws around their throats were quickly removed and they were dropped onto the rough ground below. Shadow and Azreal grasped their throats, letting out strained coughs as they recovered. "Azreal, my friend. It's really you!" he said, helping Azreal up.

"Hah… Anubis, my friend. That is quite the grip you've got," Azreal said, bringing up a fireball in his hand again to bring light to the area. "Ancestors! Anubis, what happened to you?" Azreal nearly jerked back when he saw the face of his oldest friend, now more than half of it covered in metal while a bright red lens took the place of his right eye.

"You've…been gone a long time, friend. I apologize for my hostility, but you can understand my concern when I discovered something scurrying around down here. Shadow, was it? My apologies if I was too rough," Anubis said with a humble bow.

"It was nothing I couldn't handle, believe me. But I wouldn't try it again," Shadow glared.

"Right… who exactly is he?" Anubis asked.

"He is a friend of Azure's. Garnett, Pine and Ghost attacked me and used me as bait to lure Azure into a trap. We came to rescue to her."

"Rescue? I think it's a little too late for that," Anubis said.

"What? Why? What happened?" Azreal asked, his eyes wide in fear and his voice nearly cracking.

"Garnett… made an example of her. He broke her wing, tail and her leg all in one go. We could barely move her without her screaming in pain," Anubis started, visibly disturbed by what he was describing, "Joan fixed what she was able to and I did all I could, but she still hasn't moved from her bed since. That and Garnett has only been more paranoid and vigilant since he got back. The other heads and I have barely been able to move our plans forward."

"Plans?" asked Shadow.

"We've been conspiring for some time on deposing Garnett and replacing him with another. So far, Umber was our prime candidate, until he strolled into our meeting and demanded we stop."

"Why would he do such a thing?" asked Azreal.

"It doesn't surprise me, really. Garnett's had Umber under his thumb for a long time now. We were hoping that Umber would take up more initiative, but he's still too submissive. Come with me, there is more we need to discuss," said Anubis, ushering them to follow.

"How did you know we were down here?" Shadow asked.

"After you left, Hydra ordered that I find out how you managed to leave the Catacombs without using the front door. You can imagine how the conundrum of your disappearance without the use of a seal opening the Catacomb doors made your brother squirm just dying to know how he had been beaten. When I finally found these tunnels, I spent months mapping out every twist and turn. I would have liked to get some lights down here, but I didn't have enough resources for that. Instead, I put in a few security checkpoints. You guys set one of them off earlier and that's what alerted me. Something was moving around down here and I decided to investigate."

"So what's the plan?" asked Azreal.

"If things had gone as we hoped – that is, Umber agreeing to take over as leader – then we would have liked to stage a frontal assault: force Garnett to step down willingly or exile from the island, with violence if need be."

"But now?" asked Shadow.

"Well he's not going to be happy about you two being here. Ren had a vision that Garnett's prophecy is to occur tonight," said Anubis.

"Tonight? That soon?" asked Azreal.

"Then we stop Garnett now!" announced Shadow.

"Ha, I don't know what Azreal has told you about Garnett, but he obviously hasn't told you enough. Do you have any idea what Garnett is capable of? He did all of this to me! And he was only 14!" Anubis shouted, gesturing to the metal covering nearly all of his body, only small parts of fur visible. "Don't you get it? It's over! If we try to fight him now, he'd kill us just for interfering with his prophecy, whether we are his people or not. No one will want to stand up to him now that his prophecy is so close. And after? Well, I don't need to tell you that if his prophecy succeeds, Garnett will not only be too powerful for us to remove by force, but he will never relinquish control willingly."

"Just get us in. I came here to rescue Azure so I have to make sure she's all right. I'm here for her."

* * *

**Some important lore there for you guys and Azreal finally reunites with his best friend, Anubis. Perhaps Shadow and Azreal are exactly what the Mythsetians need now that their resistance movements have been halted. But they'll have to act quickly since the promised time is soon.**

**Next Chapter: Inside Help - Shadow and Azreal hide from the ruthless Garnett in the Veil, but Shadow attempts to sneak around their settlement to find his friend.**


	10. Under the Radar

**I kinda forgot about updating this story so I worked the last three days to get this chapter out before I get swamped with more assignments .**

**Recap: Shadow and Azreal arrive in the Veil, but must keep their presence a secret. However, Shadow has plans of his own when he decides to mount his own search for Azure. **

* * *

"Stay out of sight and stay quiet!" Anubis whispered harshly as he quickly ushered Azreal and Shadow into his home through the front door before shutting it hastily. He dashed over to the windows, eyes darting back and forth to make sure no one was watching before drawing the curtains to a close. "We can't risk letting Garnett know that you're both here."

"Everything looks the exact same as when I left… well except for you, old friend," said Azreal.

"Things are almost exactly the same as they used to be, Azreal. Garnett rules with the same iron fist and ruthlessness that your brother exhibited."

"Where is Azure?" Shadow asked, interrupting the reunion between the two friends.

"The Mythos household, the largest building here." Anubis gently pulled open the curtain wide enough to point out the large structure nearby to Shadow. "But you two have to stay here, at least until I can figure out what to do. Oh, I certainly did not anticipate this in our plans…" Anubis groaned, resting his metallic claws on the metal plates of his forehead, the metal clicking each time he tapped them against his forehead.

"What exactly were you planning?" asked Azreal, curiosity and concern written across his face.

"It started as a small crazy idea, courtesy of Raphaella," Anubis started.

"Naturally," Azreal added.

"We managed to get the other house heads on board with the idea and when Garnett left the Catacombs to track down Azure, it gave us the time we needed to coordinate ourselves and our plans. But in the end, it was pointless. It was a good idea in theory, but when we tried to apply it... None of us could agree on a way to carry out our plans and before we knew it, Garnett was back with Azure. All that time we could have spent carrying out our plans and we wasted it arguing and bickering with each other! And now it is too late. The Prophet's Eye has shown Ren that Garnett's prophecy is to occur tonight! There is nothing we can do now… It's over," Anubis continued.

"What's the Prophet's Eye?" asked Shadow, once again finding himself out of the loop. He wasn't used to be this uninformed. Whenever he went into a mission - whether G.U.N. sent him or on his own - he already knew everything he needed to know about what he had to do and what he could possibly end up facing. But with this rescue mission, Shadow had been walking in blind. And he didn't enjoy it one bit. The fact that he constantly felt the need to ask an additional question or ask for clarification was becoming an annoyance to him. Every second he had to waste asking all these questions was another second of not finding Azure. On the other hand, every second he'd spent getting his answers would allow for him to be more prepared. And based on what he'd heard about Garnett from not only Azreal, but even Anubis now, he couldn't leave out any information that might be significant.

"It is… difficult to explain. The Prophet's Eye is a phenomena occurring within the Divinus bloodline," Anubis started.

"The illusionists and seers," Azreal reminded Shadow, who nodded in response.

"The Prophet's Eye, in a sense, has a mind of it's own. The one who bears the Eye is shown a vision, a vision of past or the future that the Eye deems important and that the individual must know."

"And how is this different from someone of the Divinus bloodline without the Eye?" Shadow asked.

"A regular Divinus chooses to see into the future and only the future. They go looking for the events to come. But the Eye… The Eye is a sentient force and it brings the visions to you, but at the cost of great pain. Regular Divinuses do not feel this pain when they look into the future of their own volition. If the Eye feels you need to know something, it will show a vision, whether it be a lesson from the past or something to come that it hopes you can prevent," Anubis continued.

"Garnett's prophecy," said Shadow.

"Precisely. And based on the time, there will be only a few hours until the surface ends. Garnett has already begun preparing his siblings and has ordered the rest of us to remain down here until he returns."

"What exactly does this prophecy entail?" Shadow asked, his eyes narrowing with impatience.

"I do not know. In fact, no one is certain. It was long foretold by his ancestor, Mythos, that when the elements he commanded were once again reunited, his descendent would bring about the destruction of the world, following which our people would retake our rightful place as this world's rulers, and I use that term loosely. And before you ask, we do not share this view with Garnett. We have had one genocide and we do not want to give the world another excuse to purge us from existence," said Anubis.

"So why not confront Garnett now? Stop his prophecy before it begins?"

"It is too late for that. With the prophecy so close, Garnett will slaughter us if we try to stop him, whether we are his people or not," Anubis whispered, carefully lifting the blinds enough to peek outside. "Wait here," he said, moving to the door and opening it slightly. "Raphaella! Raphaella, get in here!" he shouted in a quick whisper as a spotted feline with long red-brown hair dressed in blue and gold fabric and a staff in hand stepped into the small building.

"Anubis, what is it? I was just on my way to talk to Umber and-Azreal? Wh-what are you doing here?" Raphaella's phrasing of her question may have been one of shock and confusion, but her body did a much better job of portraying her true feelings. Raphaella leapt forward, tightly embracing Azreal in a warm hug. "Y-you're here? But how?"

"It's a long story. We came here to rescue Azure," Azreal replied.

"We?" Raphaella's head titled to the side and her eyebrow cocked up in confusion.

"Yes, Raphaella, this is Shadow the-" Azreal suddenly stopped when he turned only to find Anubis' hut experiencing a severe lack of jet black and crimson hedgehogs. "Shadow?"

"Ancestors! Where did that hedgehog disappear to? If Garnett finds him, there's no telling what he'll do!" cried Anubis, frantically searching the hut alongside Azreal.

* * *

Shadow crouched behind the back wall of another small hut, quickly glancing back and forth to make sure he wasn't spotted. He carefully poked his head out into the small alleyway between the building he hid behind and the one next to it. The few figures he could spot had their backs turned to him and he quickly dashed across the alley. He managed to reach the building Anubis pointed out to him as Azure's family home. Trying to get in through the front was out of the question. Not only was the entrance at the top of a set of stairs, but also the stairway and entrance itself was in perfect view of the central courtyard. He would be seen for certain.

But luck was not on his side this time, it seemed for the second he turned around to continue, a tall, elderly fox in purple and green robes blocked his path. Her fur - a triad of brown, orange and white - was brittle and losing its bright color while her grey hair was tied up in a bun. She had several tails curling around her while a large branch-like staff was held securely in her weak hand, an egg-shaped stone situated at the top of it. Shadow froze for a second, mentally cursing himself for being discovered so easily while running several possibilities of what he could do to correct this mishap.

"Ah, the hedgehog. I knew you would come," the fox spoke softly.

Shadow relaxed, "I don't believe we've met," he said, eyeing her suspiciously.

"We have not," she answered plainly.

"Then... how do you know me?" Shadow asked, eyes in a curious glare.

"I had seen your arrival long ago, young man. Times are changing and by being here, you are instigating that change."

"...You're a Divinus?" Shadow asked.

"That I am," she replied, giving him a small bow, "I am Esmeralda, head of the House of Divinus. You are well informed of our people, it seems."

"I'm just here for my friend, that's all."

"Allow me to clarify, I meant a good change. By coming here, Shadow, you have brought hope: hope for freedom, hope for new life and hope for acceptance. Azure is your friend and you come all this way to rescue her, despite the dangers you will face. That is proof enough that your people - those of the surface - are not the same as they used to be. And you have even managed to bring Azreal out from his exile to rescue the only family he has left," she spoke, her voice emphasizing those last few words as she gazed intensely at Shadow.

"Y-you know? Azreal said that only he and Adalinda knew..."

"They did not need to tell me for me to know," she said with a grin.

"So you 'saw' it then?"

"No, no. It was with another power that I deduced the truth, one I like to call: women's intuition."

"So then you know for certain? If Azure is Azreal's daughter?" Shadow whispered quietly.

"Perhaps, but it is not in my place to share that information, is it? Would you not say the same?"

"But she has a right to know!" Shadow argued fiercely.

"Indeed she does. But she also has the right to want to know for herself. Who are we to decide what is best for her by revealing this secret? If she truly wishes to know, then let that be the choice she makes for herself. I will not force you to keep this information to yourself, Shadow, but I give you this warning: would you risk forever destroying the relationship Azure and Azreal have for the sake of her knowing one secret?"

"But it's a big secret," Shadow added.

"Nevertheless, Azure will come to resent Azreal regardless of whether it is true or not. To her, he was supposed to be the one person she could always trust. This would violate that trust to her. She would grow to withhold her trust from many while Azreal would succumb to his grief and regret. Their relationship would be destroyed."

"But their relationship is built on a lie!"

"Is it now? To Azreal, Azure is his child, one that he loves with all his heart and to Azure, Azreal is the family she sought help from, who guided and aided her in her time of need and became the father she never had. Their relationship is already one that mirrors parent and child."

"...And if she knew the truth - let alone the fact that he hid this from her..."

"It would be far from a happy ending. Azreal already lost the woman he loved twice - once to his brother and a second to death. His heart would not be able to bear losing Azure too. But I believed I have wasted enough of your time. I recommend entering through the pantry window around the back. It's always open," Esmeralda said before disappearing from his sight down one of the alleyways.

Shadow knew she was right about both things: the first being that just as Azreal had even said, Azure finding out about this secret could do more harm than good and that he couldn't afford to waste anymore time. Once he got to the back entrance of the Mythos household, he spotted the open window Esmeralda told him about and slipped inside. It was a pantry, just as she said, with shelves stocked well enough with food, most of which he didn't even recognize. He moved towards the door but quickly pulled away and braced himself against the wall when he heard voices from the other side in the hallway.

"So Raph was planning with the other house heads to overthrow Garnett and you stopped them?" Shadow could tell from the sound of the voice that it belonged to that of a young woman, definitely older than Azure.

"For the last time, yes. And keep your voice down!" replied a male voice. Shadow blinked in confusion for a second before looking through a small hole in the door in hopes of catching a glimpse of the two speakers. Shadow's suspicions on the owner of the second voice were confirmed when he recognized the dark brown fur and green eyes of Umber, one of Azure's older brothers. They had met only once and in another time, so the Umber in front of him now certainly would have no idea who Shadow was. But if memory were to serve, Umber had a less than stellar opinion of Shadow, something to do with Azure's feelings for him and how he never "appreciates everything she is", as Umber's future self had put it. Umber was anything but uncooperative when it came to their mission at that time, but he certainly didn't waste any time voicing his thoughts to Shadow. Umber's future self had even warned him about Garnett. "Insane and evil", he said. "He won't be easy to defeat," he said. And the fact that everyone else seemed to confirm this in their own words cemented the potential of Garnett's abilities in Shadow's mind. He couldn't afford to underestimate this brother of theirs if it came down to a fight between the two of them.

_'If you can do something about Garnett, my opinion about you might just change.'_

But Shadow wasn't doing this to tilt the scales of Umber's view of him in his favor. No, he was doing this for Azure, for his friend. Sure, he only knew her for just over a month, but she had more than proven her strength and loyalty to him. He may have placed trust and friendship in a select few, but he stood by those he trusted and cared for, just as they stood by him. Azure had not abandoned him during their crusade against Mephiles and he certainly wasn't about to abandon her now when she needed him the most.

"Why in Mythos' name would you do something like that?" Shadow brought himself out of his trance and refocused his attention on the conversation Umber was having with, from what he could tell, was an aquatic-like female - almost shark like even - with long, wavy blue hair and brilliant red eyes.

"Because, Sapphire, if Garnett found out about them, he would kill them! I can't let that happen, especially not to Raph."

"Umber, everyone sees it but you!"

"Sapphire, please-"

"No, you listen to me! You may be one year older than me, but I've done far more for this family than you! Umber, this is your destiny. I know that makes it sound scary, but it doesn't have to be scary, not unless you let it be. Look, you remember when mom and dad died..."

"Yes..." answered Umber.

"You took care of Azure; you raised her and that's part of the reason why you're both so close. But then when dad died, they left behind the rest of us. We were just kids, most of us still under ten years of age! Someone needed to step up for the family. So... I decided it had to be me. I had to grow up fairly quickly so I could be strong enough to look after my brothers and sisters so that they wouldn't have to give up their childhood. And I did that because that's what the family needed from me. And now we need the leader in you, Umber," Sapphire said, sharply poking Umber in the chest. "Our family, our people need you to step up now Umber. You don't see what kind of leader you could be because you're too afraid to try!"

_'Brothers and sisters?'_ Shadow thought, _'She must be another one of Azure's siblings. An older sister, then.'_

"It's not that! It's just Garnett-"

"It is that, Umber! And it is Garnett. I understand you're afraid of him. We all are! But you've been brave enough to deny him the sick and twisted pleasure of hurting us in exchange for offering yourself up as our scapegoat! You'd rather that he hurt you than any of us."

"We just have to keep Garnett happy. Once he has what he wants, he'll leave us alone. He won't have any reason to hurt us."

"Do you really think that? Umber, I know our brother and with him, whatever he wants will never be enough. We'll always be at risk with him as our leader! Raphaella needs you to be this person, Azure needs you to be this person, Ancestors we all need you to be this person. But most importantly, you need you to be this person," Sapphire's voice dripped with a serious and pleading tone.

Umber closed his eyes and sighed heavily before opening them again. "How dare you lecture me? Do you think it's easy trying to acquiesce every one of Garnett's demands so that we all live to see another day? And how can you lecture me about standing up to him when you haven't even done that yourself. If I recall, you became just as submissive as me after what he did to Shamrock!"

"That's different, Umber!"

"And how is it different, Sapphire?"

"Because I'm not the one who should take Garnett's place," Sapphire started, being careful to whisper that last part. "How many more times does he have to hurt our sisters for you to see that you need to step up and take **your** rightful place as they leader we all need? What if he decides to hurt Raph next? You're already the person we need, Umber, deep down. But we need you to **be** that person now more than ever. The only reason we've never managed to get anywhere with this is because you halt us at every turn! Garnett's done the same thing to you as he's done with Pine. He's molded you into his submissive little servant boy."

Umber hung his head low, avoiding eye contact with his sister.

"You need this most out of all of this, Umber. Not just because we need you to lead, but also because you need you to lead. When we were kids, mom used to say that you were always so strong and brave... She would be disappointed if she could see you now." Sapphire didn't even give Umber a chance to respond before she turned and walked away.

Umber angrily balled his hands into fists before letting out a furious roar and punching his fist straight through the wood of the door. Shadow just managed to get away in time before Umber's fist struck through the weak wood. Umber's hand stayed there for a moment accompanied by Umber's heavy and strained breathing before dark brown shadows with orange streaks suddenly tore through the rest of the door. Shadow ducked behind one of the shelves. He could see the outline of Umber's shadow still in the doorway before it finally disappeared out of sight.

Shadow slipped into the hallway and made his way through the building as quickly as he could, refraining from the use of his skates lest the noise draw unwanted attention. Each of the doors he passed had a plaque hanging with name on them. His gaze only lingered on them for a moment, failing to spot Azure's name among them, before he continued on, slowing for a moment as he got to a corner to check if the coast was clear. Finally, he spotted the name he had been searching for.

He wrapped his hand around the doorknob before gently pushing open the door and closing it behind him. Shadow examined the room before him: the furniture was simple and unadorned and the walls were bare. This looked nothing like the room Azure had back at G.U.N. HQ. If he didn't know any better, he would have sworn that this room belonged to someone completely different. Azure's G.U.N. quarters were bright, vibrant and reflected the optimism and personality in her. But here, it looked more like a prison than anything else.

"Who is it?" he heard her voice call out meekly from a section of the room partially divided by a wall. He entered the smaller section of the room and spotted the small blue dragon crouched by a large chest against the wall, rummaging through the contents. She picked something up into her hands and lightly patted off the dust before standing up and turning to face him. Her face dropped and her eyes grew so wide that her eyeballs looked ready to fall out of their sockets.

"Sh-Shadow?" she stuttered, frozen in a trance-like state. She blinked several time, bringing herself back to reality, no doubt realizing that Shadow was in fact in front of her and not an illusion like she thought. She jumped forward, hugging Shadow tightly, who was slightly taken aback by her response but relaxed and gently patted her back. "Y-you're here? Wh-what are you doing here?" she asked, pulling away.

"I came to get you," he answered.

"You came... for me?" she asked, looking up into his eyes tenderly. She smiled to herself, clearly pleased with the idea that Shadow valued her enough to go to these lengths to come for her.

Shadow nodded in response as his eyes trailed down to what Azure had retrieved from the chest. "What's that?" he asked.

"Oh... It's, um a picture of my mom," she answered, handing it to him. "She died giving birth to me, so I never knew her."

Shadow carefully lifted the picture from her fingers. The woman in the picture was beautiful. Not his opinion, but more of a fact. She had light pink fur and deep, vibrant purple locks and a blue scarf tied in her hair that he recognized as the one Azreal now wore around his neck. "You look just like her," he commented.

"R-really? I don't know about that. Her fur and hair are both way brighter than mine and a completely different color even!" Azure protested.

"It's not that; it's the eyes. You have her eyes," he said, handing the picture back to her.

"You really think so?" Azure asked, to which Shadow answered with a confident nod and small smile. Azure smiled back, hers far wider than Shadow's, touched by his comment.

"Come on, we have to go. Azreal's probably wondering where I've gone," Shadow said.

"Uncle Azreal? He came with you?"

"Of course, now let's get going."

"I-I can't!" Azure exclaimed, planting her feet firmly in the ground.

"What do you mean?"

"Th-the last time I left, Garnett... he... he set my sister Shamrock on fire. I can't bear to think what he'll do if I get away again! I can't leave my family now! Shadow, please you have to get out of here! Take Azreal and go!" she pleaded.

"I'm not leaving here without you!"

"Please," she begged, "I can't bear to think of what Garnett might do if he finds you!"

"AZURE!"

Azure turned to her door with wide eyes. "It's Garnett! You have to hide, quick!" she cried, returning to the main section of her room just as the door burst open and Garnett entered.

"G-Garnett! Wh-what's the matter?" she asked nervously.

"Who were you talking to?"

"T-talking to?"

"I heard voices, sister. Is someone in here with you?" he asked, glaring at her while he paced around the room."

"N-no, of course not! Why would you think such a thing?" Azure gulped.

"Are you lying to me?" he shouted.

"N-no..."

"Your injuries may have healed quickly but it will only take me seconds to break your bones again. Do I need to resort to that to get the truth from you, sister?" he whispered in her ear, voice dripping with venom. Paralyzed with fear, Azure was unable to answer and dropped to her knees, shaking furiously. "What are you hiding?" he asked, strolling over to the smaller section of her room.

"No, wait!" Azure cried, jumping up to follow him. At first her eyes desperately scanned the room for Shadow, finding no sign of him before she sighed heavily in relief. Garnett walked around the room, inspecting everything he could get his eyes on before stopping when he felt something crumple under his foot. He reached down and picked up the old picture of their mother. "Oh, that... I was talking to mom... kinda," Azure quickly answered.

"You were speaking to a picture?" Garnett asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Yes," she answered timidly.

"And was the picture talking back?"

"No... Pictures don't talk. That would be silly," she said, casting her eyes to the ground.

"That's right, pictures don't talk. Mother is dead and you did not know her, you need not concern yourself with her," Garnett said, lighting his hand on fire. He dropped the picture to the ground as the flames ate away at it at a frightening pace while Azure fell to her knees, desperately trying to salvage the image. Tears welled up in her eyes when only the ashes remained. She squealed in pain when she felt his sharp claws roughly grasp her hair and pull her up before she discreetly tugged her ear. "Come now, sister, it is time for my destiny," he said, harshly pulling her along as they exited her room.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed that chapter, I put a lot of effort and work into it and I think it's my longest one yet. Over 4000 words! Hostile Encounters will be wrapping up in the next few chapters. **

**Next Chapter: Rallying Cry - Garnett prepares for the beginning of his prophecy while Raphaella tries one last time to rally her people against Garnett. **


	11. Rallying Cry

**Shit, super sorry for how long it took to update. I've been really busy with a bunch of other things and just haven't had the motivation to work on this chapter. I'll try not to make a habit of the delays between updates, but reviews will keep me motivated!**

**I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog, only my characters and original plot.**

**Recap: Shadow and Azreal arrived in the Mythsetia Veil to rescue Azure from her cruel brother Garnett, who requires all eight of his siblings for some sinister plot. When the hours nearly approaches, Raphaella, the head of the House of Arch, attempts to rally her terrified people against Garnett once more, with less than stellar results...**

* * *

Garnett roughly tossed Azure onto the ground after dragging her all the way from her room by her hair. Umber bent down and gently wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders. "Come on, kid. Get up," he whispered tenderly.

"U-Umber," she stuttered, looking up at him with bright green eyes, tears brimming right at the corner of her eyes before sliding down her white muzzle. "I-I'm scared, I don't want to do this!" she pleaded in a desperate whisper, her hands clinging to his jacket.

Umber could barely tear away his eyes from the desperation and fear written across her face. Here before him was his youngest sister, whom he raised, begging him to help her. And what was he to do? Stand up for himself and fight... or slink back into his corner and remain submissive? "Come on, let's just get this over with. Everything will be fine," he said, ushering her towards the Catacomb gates where the rest of their siblings were gathered.

"But Umber, you were the one who always told me to stand up for what's right. How is Garnett or anything he's doing right? Please," she begged with fear and desperation.

Umber tightly shut his eyes and turned away for a second, unable to think clearly when all he felt was guilt when he looked at his sister's face. "Things were different then, Azure. We all have to start thinking about the consequences of our actions," Umber replied, his eyes drifting over to Shamrock, who remained huddled behind the guarded safety of Sapphire. This was all his fault, he couldn't help but thinking. Had he never filled Azure's heads with these ideals and values of right and wrong and standing up for oneself, then she never would have run off, Garnett would never have set Shamrock on fire and Azure would never have been persecuted the way she was when Garnett brought her back. All his actions had brought nothing by pain and suffering to his family. And he would be damned if he let another action of his bring pain to his loved ones.

"So then it's better not to do anything at all?" Azure asked. Umber would have said that yes, it was better not to act, especially now. Actions at this point of any caliber would have set Garnett off and who knows whom he'd hurt and how badly he'd hurt them. "Standing by and just letting something horrible happen is just as bad! That's what Shadow taught me."

"Shadow? Who is Shadow?" Umber quickly shoved Azure behind him, holding his arms out protectively to his side while Azure peered at Garnett from behind him. "Move, Umber. I asked our dear sister a question and you are in my way," he whispered with a malicious glare.

Umber quickly glanced at Azure's face, full of fear as her body trembled behind his, before returning a determined gaze at their brother. "N-No."

"Excuse me?" Garnett sneered, the tips of his feathers already sprouting small flames.

"Y-you can talk to her just fine like this!" Umber declared, his feet firmly planted in the ground intent on standing between them.

"Useless fool," Garnett muttered, roughly pushing Umber aside and marching upon Azure, who backed away in fear. "I will ask again, sister: Who is Shadow?"

"H-he's my friend," she answered meekly, desperately trying to quell her uncontrollable trembling.

"Friend? Now who would ever want to be your friend? You are weak, pathetic and utterly insignificant," Garnett said, emphasizing each word that felt like daggers stabbing her right in the heart. "You are unworthy of the Mythos name," he spat, glaring at her before turning away.

Azure stared at the ground, wiping the tears that built up in her eyes before coming to a shaky stand. "I am worthy. You're the one who's unworthy!" she shouted back. Everyone's eyes focused in on her as Garnett dashed up to her, hands flaming, while she backed up in response.

Umber quickly interjected himself between them, holding his arms out to shield himself and Azure from Garnett's flames. "No! You need us alive, remember? We won't make useful pawns when we're dead or injured," Umber argued.

Garnett glared spitefully at Umber, then to Azure before snarling and closing his fists on the flames, extinguishing them. "Mercy is not a common occurrence with me. Do not expect it again." Garnett strolled past his siblings and up the steps towards the gate, gently placing his seal in the centre of the door. Once the seal sat perfectly into the gate, the markings carved into the stone lit up as the two, heavy stone slabs parted from each other, opening the gateway to the surface. A flood of fresh air and gentle winds flooded into the Catacombs as Garnett turned to his siblings. "It is time," he said, gesturing for them to exit. Though hesitant at first, Garnett's vicious glare did enough to motivate them to join him on the surface, albeit at a slow and frightened pace. Once his siblings were through, he turned back to the rest of his people gathered behind him at the base of the stairs. "No one is to leave the Catacombs until I allow it. You all will remain here," he said, before the gates shut tightly behind him.

Deathly silence followed as the stone slabs shut together again and the fresh wind of the surface faded.

"So that's it?" Raphaella's voice rang out in defiance against the commanded silence. "We just let Garnett march up to the surface and declare war? The surfacers already had one reason to wipe us out, we don't need to give them another one!"

"But what if Garnett is right? What if the surface hasn't changed?" Kuwaga asked.

"Kuwaga how can you say that? If the surface hasn't changed then Azure wouldn't be alive! Garnett can't keep treating us like this and expect us to just keep doing what he wants! The people we love are up there with that psychopath and who knows what he'll do to them if they defy him! Are we really going to just stand by and let this tyrant treat us like this?" she yelled, her voice echoing off the Catacomb walls.

"Raph, we all agree with you, we really do," started Lobo, walking up to her and laying a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

"But we're scared. I know, we all are!" Raphaella finished for him. "But we can't keep living like this! We have to stand up and-"

"And fight him?" Lobo asked, cutting her off. "Raph, we all saw what happened first hand the last time someone tried to fight him," Lobo mentally groaned, recalling the charred body of his father nearly a decade ago. "None of us hold a candle to Garnett in terms of combat and even if we were to try all at once, he'd overwhelm us, I guarantee that."

Raphaella sighed, "I know... I just can't stand the thought that Umber is up there getting hurt and I'm here not doing anything about it!"

"I feel the same way, Raph; we all do. They're-We're just scared."

"No, no I refuse to be scared anymore. Umber needs me and I won't let fear stop me from helping the one I love. So, who's with me?" she cried, scanning for anyone brave enough to speak up and join her. "Anyone?" she asked, desperately. "Lobo?" she asked, her voice now meek and not even trying.

"I would join you Raph, I would. Umber's my best friend and I would do anything for him. But... I-we have our own family to protect too..." Lobo answered in shame, hanging his head low. "I don't like it anymore than you do."

"So that's it then? We're all just going to stand by and let this happen? No one is going to stand with me and fight to protect the ones we love?" Silence followed before...

"I will."

Gasps and whispers flooded the Catacombs as everyone laid eyes on the unfamiliar black and red individual standing a few feet behind Raphaella, who sharply turned around to address the unknown voice. Suspicious glares were thrown at him and weapons were cautiously armed as this mysterious interloper neared them.

"Wh-who are you?" Raphaella asked, holding her staff pointed directly at him while her stripes and spots softly lit up.

"He is Shadow the Hedgehog," Azreal said, walking into the central area alongside Anubis, earning nearly as much shock and awe from his people.

"Azreal, you are alive," Esmeralda casually stated.

"Yes, I am. A fact, I suppose, that you were long aware of. As I said, this is Shadow. He is Azure's friend from the surface and he came all this way to rescue her."

"A surfacer? Then that means Garnett lied," said Lobo, retracting the blaster in his cybernetic arm.

"Yes... that's exactly what it means! Garnett lied when he said that Azreal was dead, but here we have the physical proof of his treachery to us. And if Azure befriended someone willing to risk their life by coming here, then doesn't that tell us everything we need to know about how much the surface has changed?" Raphaella asked, addressing the crowd.

"We must hurry. If Garnett has left for the surface then we don't have much time!" cried Azreal in haste.

"And how exactly is this surfacer supposed to help us?" asked Lobo.

"Shadow is an unknown, that gives us an advantage over Garnett, however little it may be. He has abilities and powers unlike any Mythsetian magic and like Garnett Shadow is immortal. Garnett won't be prepared for what Shadow has to offer in a fight," said Azreal.

"And what can I expect from Garnett?" Shadow asked.

"Fire, and lots of it. Although given your relatively recent – or future, depending on how you look at it – altercation with a fire demon, I am certain you will fare just fine. Garnett is ruthless, this you know well enough, but do not expect him to hold back. He never has a reason to hold back and neither should you."

"Right, let's go everyone!" Raphaella cried.

"No," said Shadow.

"What? Why not?" cried Raphaella in shock.

"You don't send civilians to war. Even with numbers on your side, your lack of experience in battle and coordination will be your downfall. None of you are soldiers. Trust me when I say, I'm all you'll need," Shadow replied.

"Azreal?" Raphaella asked Azreal in confirmation, who nodded in response. "All right, but I'm coming too!"

"As will I," added Azreal. "It will be best for everyone else to remain here for safety. Shadow's plan is the better option. Should something happen to us, we need reassurance that others will remain to protect those who need protection."

"Yes, you're right; the less of our people that get caught in the crossfire, the better. Lobo, stay here and keep everyone safe," said Raphaella.

"I'm on it," Lobo said with a curt nod.

"Let's go," said Raphaella, pulling out her house seal and placing it into the gateway slot that Garnett had used once before. The stone slabs roughly slid apart like they once had moments ago.

"Ancestors," Azreal breathed out as his eyes widened in shock. The clouds were thick and dark, blanketing the sky to heavily that not a ray of sunshine would make it through. A bright, blazing fire erupted from the ground above. The glow and heat radiating from it was so powerful that the three of them could almost feel their skin burn. But they could not falter now. The final battle was just beyond these steps and they could not afford to fail.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter. We're almost done with this story!**

**Next chapter - Promised Day: Garnett's prophecy begins! Shadow vs. Garnett!**


	12. Promised Day

**Apologies for the long wait. Late March and early April is crazy term paper and finals time. But, I worked on this chapter ALL DAY, so I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

**I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog, only my characters and original plot. Thanks for all the faves, +alerts and reviews and I would appreciate if you guys pointed out any spelling or grammar errors that slipped past my eyes. **

**So, without further adieu, buckle down, grab some popcorn and prepare for the final climactic showdown of Hostile Encounters.**

* * *

"Ah, the Occulus," Garnett whispered as he bent over the markings that were etched in the stone, gently brushing his talons against the symbols. "Here, our people made their last stand as they faced extinction. And it is here where we will make our glorious return and put those wretched surfacers in their place. Get into position, it is almost time." Garnett stepped into the Occulus circle, taking the smaller circle with a flame insignia right at the top.

"Do we really have to do this?" Azure whispered to Umber, who had his hands reassuringly gripped on her shoulders.

"Yes, you must," Garnett interjected, roughly grabbing her by the hair, which earned a frightened whimper from the little dragon. "Do not worry, sister. Once the surface is ours, you can have all the freedom you wish. I hope you said your goodbyes to whatever vermin you befriended on the surface, because soon enough they will be no more," he whispered close, emphasizing each word with every ounce of venom in his voice. When he finished, he roughly pushed Azure to the lightning inscribed circle next to his own as their other siblings took their places, a glaring Sapphire escorting a shaking and frantic Shamrock to her spot, whispering soft and reassuring words before taking her own place next to Umber.

Garnett shut his eyes and inhaled deeply, taking in the rich scent of the air and the feel of the wind through his feathers. He softly muttered an incantation, his words in a strange language that none of them could recognize. The inscription lines suddenly lit up and a translucent barrier surrounded each of the Mythos siblings.

"A barrier…" Umber lightly touched the barrier before drawing his hand back in pain as the barrier shocked him. "Why do we need a bar-AHHHH!" Umber suddenly cried out as pain surged through his body and swirls of darkness wisped from his body into the sky as energy pooled above the Occulus. His body reacted violently, trying to break free from the pain of his energy being ripped from his very being, though the barrier kept him in place, ensuring that his escape was impossible.

"Umber!" Azure called out to her brother before she and the rest of her siblings began experiencing the same pain, each of their elements pouring from their bodies into the sky.

"The pain is only temporary, brothers and sisters. Soon, you will feel nothing at all," Garnett muttered calmly, before the extraction soon reached him as well. However, he retained his demeanor, only twitching slightly and tightly gritting his jaw.

Shadow, Raphaella and Azreal emerged from the Catacomb gates, which sealed tightly behind them.

"Ancestors, help us," Azreal muttered when he saw the dark clouds forming over the island and the mass collection of energy siphoned from the nine siblings pooling above them, a coagulation of the nine elements of the Mythos bloodline.

"Umber!" Raphaella yelled, rushing towards the chaos to her beloved. Just as her hand reached for him, she instantly pushed back by a powerful force. Azreal managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

"A barrier…" Shadow muttered, examining the barriers, "And it doesn't look like they're aware of us."

"A little barrier isn't going to stop me!" Raphaella recomposed herself and aimed the tip of her staff at the barrier enclosed around Umber. She fired a beam of energy at it, but the barrier easily bounced it off into the sky. "My magic has no effect!"

"Perhaps mine will. Shadow, together?" Azreal turned to Shadow, who nodded in agreement. Azreal conjured two white fireballs in his hands while Shadow summoned a Chaos Spear in his. Together, they lunged at the barrier, pouring all their energy into breaking through it. For a split second, it looked like they were just about to make it through before the barrier flashed briefly and repelled them as well.

"No good, how can we stop the ritual?" Shadow asked.

"Let me look at the inscription circle," she replied, rushing to the center of the circle and quickly examining the markings. "Uh oh…"

"What?" Shadow asked.

"Th-this isn't a destruction spell circle like we thought," Raphaella replied.

"Then what is it?" asked Azreal.

"That's the crest of Bell… This is a summoning circle!"

"A summoning circle… Then what's it summoning?" asked Azreal.

"Let's not wait long enough to find out. How can we stop it?" Shadow asked.

"Breaking the circle will disrupt the flow of magic and stop the ritual," she answered.

"That's all I needed to hear." Shadow formed another Chaos Spear in his hands before driving the tip right into one of the inscription lines. The energy pool above their heads suddenly condensed and imploded on itself, exploding in a flash of brilliant white light as the barriers surrounding each of the Mythos siblings shattered and the light emitting from the circle faded. Released from their cages, the siblings fell to the ground, each utterly drained of energy and weak.

"Umber!" Raphaella whispered in concern, rushing to his side. Umber coughed and whispered her name, struggling to stand as he leaned into the ocelot, who helped support him, while his hands desperately clung to her as if she would slip away.

Meanwhile, Azreal rushed over to Azure, carefully cradling her in his arms, tenderly whispering, "It's ok, Azure. I'm here; we're all here. You're safe… it's over," as he lightly kissed her forehead.

"No… No! NO!" Garnett roared, standing tall in his rage as flames licked across his feathers. "YOU! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING! I WAS SO CLOSE TO FINISHING WHAT I STARTED SO LONG AGO!" he shouted, pointing his finger at Shadow.

"Well now you're done," Shadow replied, cracking his knuckles.

"I don't know who you think you are, surfacer, but you will regret defying me. I am Garnett, descendant of Mythos and Chief of the Mythsetia Veil!" he bellowed out in declaration.

"I am Shadow, Shadow the Hedgehog and I am the Ultimate Life Form," Shadow replied, crossing his arms and sending a determined glare at the phoenix.

"We'll see how ultimate you really are." Garnett conjured two fireballs in hands, hurtling them towards Shadow. A faint blue light surrounded Shadow as he suddenly disappeared from sight as the fireballs struck the concrete of the Occulus. "What the?" Shadow suddenly reappeared behind Garnett and swiftly kicked him in the back, sending Garnett straight into the ground, landing roughly on his jaw. "Heh, a teleporter, eh? What cowardice…" Garnett spat, standing to face Shadow as he rubbed his beak with the back of his hand.

"You're not the first fire demon I've faced," Shadow rebuffed, crossing his arms.

"I am no demon; I am a God!" Garnett proudly declared, coating himself in flames. He unleashed a frenzy of fireballs onto Shadow, who easily dodged them all. However, each fireballs that missed struck the ground, setting the grass and surrounding plants ablaze.

"F-fire… FIRE!" Shamrock wailed, backing away from the fire as frantically as she could. "G-get it away! AWAY!"

"He's going to set the whole island on fire!" shouted Raphaella.

"Sapphire, get these fires out!" called Umber.

Sapphire, standing protectively between Shamrock and the growing flames that came off from the craze of Shadow and Garnett's battle – fireballs and Chaos Spears flying back and forth, flashes of orange flames and green energy emitting from the fray – waved her hands, bringing water from the ocean and dousing the flames. "It's ok, Shamrock. I won't let the fire hurt you ever again," Sapphire whispered, bringing the traumatized nymph into her arms.

Garnett finally made a hit on Shadow, sending him back a few feet, though he easily recovered and slid to a stop on his feet. He lifted his arm, ready to throw a Chaos Spear just forming within his hands when he felt a sting of cold surround his body. He looked down at his feet as ice quickly encased his legs and arms, trapping him in place. He turned to his right and saw the light blue behemoth – Pine, the second youngest if he remembered correctly – with his fist in the ground and a trail of ice connecting them. "Dammit!" Shadow cursed, trying to pull his arms free.

"Excellent work, Pine. You continue to serve your master well. This is where the Ultimate Life Form ends. Perhaps they should have called you something else," Garnett declared, stepping forward to Shadow while forming a blade of solid flames in his hands. He raised the blade over his head, ready to plunge it into Shadow's chest when a wave of water suddenly washed over him, dousing the fire blade. Garnett narrowed his eyes in a vicious glare, slowly turning his head, his purple eyes connecting to the deep red of his sister. "Sapphire…" he muttered.

"As much as I hate to admit it, but that wasn't me," Sapphire responded, tightening her protective grip around Shamrock.

Before anyone else could speak, they all directed their attention to the clouds above, moving ferociously across the sky. Bolts of lightning flashed across the sky, loud claps of thunder ringing through the sky.

"Oh no," Azreal whispered.

"Uncle, what's going on?" asked Umber.

"This has happened once before, when Azure lost control…" Azreal turned to them, his eyes wide in fear and awe. A bolt of blue lightning suddenly knocked Garnett away from Shadow and roughly into a tree trunk. They turned their heads to Azure, her eyes glowing and face expressionless, as if she were in a trance, as lightning sparked across her body and winds swirled around her. "Azure!" Azreal cried, rushing over to her. She lifted her palm to him, pushing him back with a small burst of wind.

"What's happening? What's wrong with her?" Umber asked frantically.

"Nothing is wrong with her… She is simply evolving beyond her capabilities. It is not just lightning she can control anymore," Azreal responded, worry and concern written across his face.

Azure, in her trance-like state, gently floated over to Garnett, who stood up in rage, preparing to call her something foul before another bolt of lightning from her fingers silenced him. Azure stopped abruptly when she was next to Shadow, placing her hand on the ice trapping him as a small surge of lightning burst through the ice, shattering it into pieces and freeing the hedgehog from his binds. Azure suddenly rose high up into the sky, wind and lightning enveloping around her. She waved her arms as tornadoes formed over the ocean, rain poured down from the sky and lightning struck the trees, each inching closer to Garnett, who jumped back and forth to avoid each bolt.

"You wretched little… I've had enough of you!" Garnett leapt into the air, propelling himself with fire. Azure turned to Garnett, unleashing a bright and intense bolt of blue lightning straight into his chest, sending him hurtling back into the ground, creating a small crater as he landed.

"What's happening?!" shouted Shadow over the crashing winds and thunderclaps.

"It's Azure's powers! This is what they're like at full power but she doesn't realize what she's doing! Seeing you in danger of Garnett must have triggered an outburst!" cried Azreal, holding his arm up to shield himself from the raging winds.

"How do we stop her? She's going to tear apart the whole island at this rate!" shouted Umber.

"I'm not sure! This is leagues worse than the first time she lost control! I'm not sure if we can stop her!"

"There must be something we can do! Bring her back to her senses!" cried Umber.

"But how can you even get close to her? That storm she's making won't let any of us get near her!" shouted Raphaella.

Umber quickly turned to Payne and Sepia. "Payne, cancel out her wind as much as you can so I can get close! Sepia, I'll need you to throw me at her as hard as you can then do everything in your power to keep the island together!"

"I-I'll try!" Payne yelped as a bolt of lightning struck the ground near him.

"Ready?" Sepia asked, taking Umber's arm in his hands.

"Yeah, make it count." Sepia nodded and spun, throwing Umber straight into the air at their sister. The wind broke apart briefly around her as he made contact and tightly gripped his arms around her, immediately greeted by a painful shock of electricity. "AAH, Azure, it's me! Your brother, Umber!" A powerful gust of wind suddenly brushed against him nearly making him lose his grip on her, but he refused to let go. "I know you're scared, but you don't have to be anymore! Shadow's fine, you saved him! AAHHH!" Umber cried out, another surge of lightning coursing through him. "Y-you're the bravest one of all of us! You don't have to be afraid anymore because I'll be there for you, like I should have been before. Just come back to us! A-and I promise I'll be the brother you deserve!"

The lightning suddenly stopped stinging him and he felt the winds slowly die down around him. Suddenly, they were plummeting towards the ground, when a gentler gust of wind swept under them and cradled them, softly setting them on the ground as Azure weakly sunk into Umber's arms. "Thanks, Payne," Umber said as the siblings and Azreal gathered around them.

Azure stirred as she slowly opened her eyes. "Wh-what happened?" she slurred, sitting up with Umber's help.

"Your powers got… a bit out of hand. To put it lightly, you nearly tore apart the island," said Azreal.

"I-I did? I-I'm so sorry!" she wailed.

"It's all right, kid. We're all fine," said Umber.

"I thought her gauntlets were supposed to prevent something like this from happening," said Shadow.

"They are, but these ones aren't designed by someone with magical experience. Our emotional state is tied with our powers and potential. For all of G.U.N.'s technological advances, they have little understanding of the complex working of magic. Anubis can make the necessary adjustments later," explained Azreal.

Shadow bent down to Azure and locked eyes with her. "You ok?" he asked.

"Yeah…" she breathed. "I will be."

"No. You won't!" Garnett stepped forward, supported by Pine with Ghost on his other side. His chest was severely burned from the lightning bolt Azure struck him with and was smoking lightly. "I've been working towards this for far too long to let a little mongrel like you stop me!" Garnett shouted, coating himself in a raging fire.

"You take another step closer to any of them and I'll end you," Umber said with a serious glare.

"Haha, you continue to entertainment me, brother. You and I both know that you won't dare stand against me," replied Garnett.

"Then you don't know me very well at all," Umber said as shadows swirled around him.

"You will regret this, brother," Garnett threatened with narrow and fiery eyes.

"Not as much as you will." Garnett shrieked and launched a fireball at Umber, who swiftly disappeared into his shadow, which danced around the area. Garnett's head snapped back and forth, trying to get a lock on the moving shadow, but each time he caught sight of it for a split second, it would disappear.

Umber suddenly emerged behind Garnett, pushing Pine and Ghost away with his darkness waves and swiftly delivering a kick right into Garnett's back and knocking him right into the ground a second time, the house seal he carried falling out of his grasp and bouncing a few feet away before falling to a stop. Garnett quickly turned over onto his back to hit Umber with a fireball, but just as quickly as he appeared, he disappeared back into his shadow.

"You know what your mistake was Garnett? You underestimate everything! You place yourself so high above others and you don't even consider anything beneath you a possible threat! I've seen the way you fight and I know your moves. But you don't know mine!" Garnett readied another pair of fireballs, but Umber countered by swiftly moving his arms, bringing out Garnett's shadow out of the ground to bind his arms, diminishing the fireballs. "NO! You're done." Umber manipulated the shadows to further bind Garnett and bring them face-to-face. "Get off my island," Umber whispered, throwing Garnett back before turning to Pine and Ghost. "Brothers, stay if you wish, but if your loyalty remains to him, then neither of you are welcome."

"Ghost, now!" Garnett growled. Ghost leapt forward, letting out an intense flash of light. Everyone lifted their arms to shield themselves from the light and when it finally died down, Garnett, Pine and Ghost were nowhere to be seen.

The others gathered around Umber as Azreal placed his hand reassuringly on Umber's shoulder. "You did well, Umber. You should be proud."

"Funny, I don't feel it…"

"Well, I'm proud of you," Raphaella said, kissing Umber on the cheek tenderly.

"What happens now? The Veil is without a leader," said Umber.

"Not quite," Azreal said, strolling over to the seal and picking it up in his hands. "According to the line of succession, the position of Chief falls to the one who is next in line."

"…Which would be you," Umber said, finishing Azreal's sentence.

"No, my generation's time has passed. By line of succession, leadership falls to you, Umber," Azreal said, holding out the seal to Umber.

"But what if Garnett comes back?"

"Irrelevant. By Mythsetian law, Garnett has abandoned his post with no resignation or named successor. He cannot nor will he ever be allowed to resume his position. You are the Chief, Umber, if that is what you wish."

Umber starred at the seal and looked at the faces around him, his brothers and sisters and his beloved. For so long, responsibility had been around the corner, but he would turn around to avoid facing it. It scared him, the idea of being in charge of his people, all the weight of his decisions on his shoulders and having to bare all the consequences – good and bad – of his actions. He had spent too long cowering and avoiding what awaited him. "Yes… I do," he said, accepting the seal from Azreal as his siblings and Raphaella cheered around them. With the seal clutched in his hands, Umber felt oddly at ease, like this was meant to be.

"Well now, Umber. Now that you are Chief, what is your first act?" asked Azreal.

"Well… as the Chief of the Mythsetia Veil, I hereby revoke the banishment of Azreal Mythos. You are welcome to come back home, Uncle. It is where you belong."

Azreal smiled warmly, "Thank you, Chief Umber," bowing respectfully.

"And for my second act as Chief, I declare that the Mythsetians will no longer live in the Catacombs and instead return to the surface."

"An excellent decision, Umber. You will make a fine Chief. Your mother would be so proud of you if she could see you now. Perhaps we should spread the good news? It is likely that with the thunder from Azure's storm that everyone believes us all to be dead. Best to dispel that thought, yes?" Azreal suggested.

"Agreed," Umber replied. "Azure, you coming?" he asked, when he noticed his sister hadn't moved.

"Yeah, just give me a minute?" Umber nodded as Azure walked over to Shadow, who had been standing with his arms crossed overlooking the ocean since Garnett fled. "Shadow?"

"Your family going to be ok?" he asked, keeping his eyes locked on the ocean.

"Yeah, I think we will be now. I just wanted to thank you, Shadow, for coming to help me. I know we haven't known each other that long, but it really meant a lot to me that you came to help," she said with a smile.

"You are my friend, Azure. I don't abandon my friends."

"So I guess you'll be heading back to G.U.N.?"

"Yes. I imagine you'd like some time to be with your family?" Shadow asked.

"Yeah after everything that's happened, I think it would be best if I stay home for a bit. I'll come back in a few days, I promise."

"Take as much time as you need. I'll inform Commander Towers of the situation and I'll be discreet with the details."

"I appreciate that, Shadow. Thank you. The world just might not be ready to accept my people yet," Azure said sadly.

"I understand."

"Do you need a ride back to the mainland? I could-"

"You need to be with your family. I would actually like to speak with Azreal if I could steal him for a moment?" Shadow asked.

"No problem. I'll go get him!"

"Take your time, Azure."

* * *

**Well everyone, there's our happy ending. But, the story isn't over yet! There are still some loose ends to tie up!**

**Next Chapter - Reassurance: Shadow and Azreal discuss a private matter and later, Shadow initiates a private investigation of his own into something that simply cannot be left unanswered. **


	13. Reassurance

**Did you think I'd just end it there? The story isn't over just yet! There are st ill some loose ends to tie up ^_^**

* * *

"There, that's the last adjustment. Your gauntlets should be able to restrict weather control until you're ready," said Anubis, setting his tools aside. "Just try to keep your emotion stable."

"Thanks, Anubis."

"It is no trouble, my dear. I must say that this is a fine example of craftsmans hip. Whoever made these knew exactly what they were doing!"

"Anubis, do you know if Uncle Azreal is back yet?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. He did leave with Shadow a few minutes ago, so he should be back any moment."

"Ok, thanks!" Azure chirped, exiting Anubis' hut. In the hours that followed Garnett's ousting from the island, Umber's ascension to Chief was met with a marvelous and positive reception. They had even already begun moving from their dwellings from the Catacombs and onto the surface, settling near the area that Azreal had called "the Dragon's Peak." It was a fitting name really, since from a bird's eye view, it looked just like the gaping mouth of a dragon.

"Azure!" Sapphire called over to the dragon, their tree nymph sister huddling behind her.

"Sapphire, what is it?" Azure asked.

"You're going back with Shadow, right? To this, G.U.N.?"

"Yes, but I won't be going back for a few days. I want to at least help with the moving and set up before I head back," Azure replied.

"That's not what I mean. When you go back to G.U.N., I'm coming with you," Sapphire declared.

"R-really? Don't take this the wrong way, but why?"

"We've lived in a cave all our lives and there's this whole world we never knew right at our doorstep, right beyond those walls that protected us. Ever since the Purge, it's been about surviving. Well it's not about surviving anymore; it's about living. So much has changed and I want to see it! And Shamrock... she needs it more than I do. She just hasn't been the same since Garnett... I've tried my best to help her, but it doesn't seem like I'm enough," Sapphire uttered, gently cupping Shamrock's cheek in her hand. "G.U.N. has lots of resources right?"

"Tons."

"And they'd have the resources to help Shamrock the way I can't right?"

"Well, I know that they do have professional counseling and mental health care. G.U.N. gets into some really crazy stuff and sometimes the stress gets to their agents."

"Then I'd like to get Shamrock the help she needs to get better, and she's not going to get that here."

"I'm not sure if it'll work, but the Commander is a reasonable man. I'm sure he'd allow it if he heard us out," Azure said.

"Good. And if all else fails, I'll offer my services as an agent. He won't turn me down with my powers to offer... He won't, will he?" Sapphire asked.

"I'm sure he won't. We're severely lacking in the mystical-kelpies-that-control-water department," Azure giggled.

"Ah... good."

"I was making a joke," Azure muttered bluntly.

"Oh! I see, yes, that was funny! It must be a surface thing," Sapphire smiled. "So it's settled then. Shamrock and I will accompany you back to the mainland when you return to G.U.N."

* * *

"Well, Shadow. You wished to speak with me?" Azreal asked, setting the hedgehog down on the mainland before landing hims elf. Omega, who had been waiting for them, moved to regroup with them while June flew over to Azreal and planted herself on his shoulder, chirping at him cheerfully while nuzzling her face into his sc ales.

"Congratulations on your banishment being revoked."

"Oh, yes. Thank you. I have been living on my own for so long, I'm not sure if I can get used to being around so many people again. But, it will be nice being less lonely. However, there must be more you wished to discuss with me other than a simple congratulations?"

"Yes, it's about you and Azure."

Azreal closed his eyes and inhaled deepl y before opening them back. "I see. Are you going to tell her?"

"Do you not want me to tell her?" Shadow asked, cocking his eyebrow.

"As I said, what you choose to do with the information is your choice. I will ho ld nothing against you for whichever choice you make. She... Azure deserves to know the truth," Azreal frowned sadly, gu ilt written across his face.

"Yes, she does deserve to know the truth . I've always hated having secrets kept from me and I don't like the idea of keeping secrets because of that. Azure is my friend and I don't keep things like this from my friends," said Shadow.

"So, you are going to tell her then?"

"No."

"No?" Azreal asked in confusion.

"Any other day and I would tell her with out regret or hesitation. But the risks far outweigh the rewards and this... Even if it's not my place to keep things from her, it also isn't my place to reveal this big of a secret. Azure deserves to hear it, but she deserves to hear it fr om you," Shadow said, walking over to Azreal and reassuringly placing his hand on the dragon's shoulder.

"Thank you, Shadow. Azure does deserve to know the truth, even if the truth in itself may not be true. I hope one day th at I will have the courage to tell her." Shadow withdrew his hand, turning to leave with Omega before Azreal called out again, "Shadow, I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for my people. You will always be welcome in the Veil and a friend of the Mythsetians." Shadow turned and gave Azreal a curt nod before the dragon took to the skies back to the island.

"Query: You obtained a sample of Azreal the Dragon's hair. For what purpose did you do this?" Omega asked.

"It's just for something I need to figure out, on my own," Shadow added.

"Acknowledged. I shall endeavor to act as though I possess no available data on your possession of the hair or your intentions with it."

When they returned to G.U.N., Shadow filed his report on where he had gone and what he had done, providing as little fur ther details as he possibly could. This was something that came to be expected with Shadow's reports. He was never one for complicated reports; he would just get straight to the point. After turning it in, he made his way to the agent quarters where Azure's room was. He made his way to her bed and the fluffy white pillow that sat at the end against the wall. He spotted a strand of teal hair and carefully pinched it between his index finger and thumb, gently pulling it off the pillow.

"Hope, I need you to do something for me ," Shadow said, entering the lab where the young mechanical genius worked.

"What's up, Shadow?"

"Run a DNA test on these two samples and compare them," he said, handing her the two strands of hair, each wrapped in a tissue.

"Is there something specific you're look ing for?"

"Familial relation," Shadow answered bluntly.

"Shadow, there's something you're not telling me, isn't there?" Hope asked.

"Yes."

"Should I ask?"

"I would prefer you didn't. This is... private and a personal matter, nothing Towers needs to be concerned with. I'd like as few people to know about it as possible."

"All right, my lips are sealed. I should have the results back to you in a few days," Hope said.

"Good. When you're finished, print the results for me and then destroy the original samples and wipe any evidence of the test and results from the system."

* * *

**Azreal can rest easy knowing that his se cret will stay such until he decides, bu t that doesn't mean Shadow isn't going t o find out the truth for himself. X3**

**Next Chapter - Epilogue: Team Scales: Sa pphire makes deal Commander Towers while Shadow gets the results of the DNA test back. **


	14. Epilogue: Team Scales

**Well here we are at last! The ending of Hostile Encounters. I want to thank you all for your support, reviews, +favs and +alerts. I hope you all enjoyed the story and hope that you stick around the my next stories!**

* * *

Commander Towers sat in his padded chair, leaning forward with his elbows resting on the elegant wooden desk. His hands came together, fingers intertwined, while resting lightly just below the tip of his nose. The way he sat made it difficult for the three sisters to see his expression, leaving them visibly worried over what he had to say in response to their offer. Azure had let Sapphire speak for most of the meeting. It only made sense since it was Sapphire's idea in the first place and she was far better at asserting what she wanted. At least that's how Azure felt about it, although she did chime in with her two-cents every now and then, hoping to further Sapphire's cause.

"Well, Commander?" Sapphire asked, crossing her arms as her bright red eyes connected with his mismatched colored ones.

Towers inhaled deeply before exhaling and lowering his hands onto his desk. "I must admit, I don't receive offers like this that often. The sister of one of my agents comes to me offering their service as an agent in exchange for mental health care for another sister."

"Sir please, our sister needs help and Sapphire can do things with water you couldn't believe!" Azure boasted.

"Given the testimony of one of my agents, I'll agree to a trial run for now. Sapphire, you will serve alongside Azure, as a team, and your sister will be given time with our counselors."

"Thank you, sir," Sapphire and Azure said in unison.

"I'll get started on entering you two into our systems. You'll need to clearance to get around. Azure, show your sisters to the agents' quarters where they'll be staying and then give them a tour of the base."

"Yes sir!" Azure chirped, saluting him.

"One more thing, think up a team name while you're settling in."

"Why do we need a team name?" asked Sapphire.

"It's so we can identify your team from others teams and agents."

"Well, I do have one idea…" said Azure with a smile.

* * *

"Oh, Shadow, I've got the results from that DNA test you wanted!" Hope exclaimed, handing him the results printed on a crisp piece of paper. "And like you asked, I deleted the records of the samples and results of the test from the system. That piece of paper is the only evidence that that test was ever made."

"Thank you, Hope. This means a lot," Shadow said, taking the paper.

"I'm not sure what this is about, Shadow, but I hope it helps you."

Shadow nodded, ignoring the intercom calling for his team to assemble in the debriefing room. He could have sworn he heard another team, but his attention was too focused on the paper in his hand to catch the rest of the intercom message. His eyes stayed locked with the top portion of the page, hesitating to move down and read the rest. This secret was none of his business, but Azreal made it his business the minute the dragon informed him of it. Below the information he was about to read would confirm once and for all if it was true or not… if Azure was really Azreal's daughter. He finally moved down to the bottom of the page, where the results were printed out. As his eyes were glued to the paper, he couldn't help but break a small smile as his eyes softened momentarily.

"Hey, Shadow! Commander Towers just called Team Dark to the debriefing room," Azure said, walking up next to him.

"Yes I heard that," he responded.

"What's that?" Azure asked, pointing to the paper.

"Oh, it's nothing important," he said, setting the paper ablaze with his Chaos powers before dumping in a nearby trash bin. He moved past Azure and made his way to the debriefing room.

"Well you took your sweet time, sweetheart," Rouge snickered as Shadow entered the debriefing room.

"I had another matter to attend to, but it is resolved. What's the mission?"

"We've found a small base of operations located in the Mobian Ocean belonging to Eggman. It's heavily armed and fortified, but we want the base intact. If we can get our hands on that base, we'll have a strategic advantage in the area against Eggman's forces," explained Towers, running through the holographic schematics of the island and fortress.

"All right, get in and destroy all the robots. Piece of cake!" Rouge boasted.

"Not exactly. The number of forces there are too great and we need this base shut down as soon as possible so we can repurpose it. We want as little collateral damage as possible. Team Dark, you will infiltrate the base and release this computer virus into the system. It will target and shut down all of Eggman's machines within the vicinity of the island. Team Scales will be drawing the attention of the defending robots to make your infiltration easier as well as drawing away any sentry robots that may respond to your presence."

"Team Scales? I thought this was going to be a solo mission. We don't need anyone else," Rouge sneered.

"Well the Commander disagrees," said Sapphire, entering the debriefing room.

"And who are you supposed to be?" asked Rouge.

"I am Sapphire Mythos and I believe you know my sister," Sapphire replied, as Azure joined everyone in the room.

"Oh you… I thought you quit, isn't that why you haven't been around here for over a week?" Rouge sneered, instead of shrinking back behind Sapphire and drooping her ears like she normally would have, Azure instead stood her ground and narrowed her eyes at the bat.

"It's complicated," Sapphire added, "and private."

"Regardless of the fact, Sapphire and Azure, as Team Scales, will be joining you in this mission. Team Scales will distract the main forces with their own assault while Team Dark will sneak in the back and shut down the base. Understood?"

"Yes sir," the two teams replied.

"Good, move out!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself kid. I'm betting your team won't last the week," Rouge glared.

"That's what you think! Team Scales is here to stay!" Azure whispered back, Sapphire nodding her head in agreement. As the two teams prepared to move out, Azure noticed Shadow staring at her. "Shadow, is something wrong?" she asked in concern.

"Hm? No… No, everything is great," he replied with a small smile.

* * *

**Well, that's it. But did you guys honestly think that I was going to reveal if that big plot twist was actually true? If there's one thing I've learned with stories, it's that some secrets are better kept. ^_^ Sorry if that disappoints some of you, but that's the way I feel it should be. I'll leave you all to interpret Shadow's reading of the DNA test however you will, but remember this: either he could be smiling because the DNA does show that Azure and Azreal are indeed daughter and father or he could be smiling because despite the DNA not matching as parent and child, Azure and Azreal have the relationship of one. So, is Azure really Azreal's daughter or not? You decide for yourself :D**

**Keep your eyes out for the sequel: Rise of the Titans!**

**~ZP**


End file.
